SEAM bowler Ben Trott struck after lunch to remove Worcestershire's ace batsman Graeme Hick for just 21.

But opening bat Stephen Peters dug in to reach an unbeaten 93 by tea and, in tandem with Ben Smith (47), take the hosts on to 185 for two.

Hick miscued an attempted pull shot and could only watch in dismay as Alex Loudon ran in from the deep mid-wicket boundary to take a fine low catch on the run to make it 83 for two.

It was Trott's second wicket of the innings, having accounted for Stephen Moore with only his second ball of the day.

The former Somerset seamer nipped one back off the seam to trap right-handed opener Stephen Moore (4) leg before.

Peters then teamed up with Smith to post a century stand for the third wicket as injury-hit Kent toiled in the field.

Earlier, Kent conceded a narrow first innings lead of just 33-runs after being dismissed by Worcestershire for 420.

After yesterday’s ton by Andrew Symonds and half-centuries for Matt Walker and Alex Loudon, Kent batted on for much of the third morning session courtesy of a seventh wicket stand worth 110 between Niall O’Brien (67) and James Tredwell.

O’Brien reached his maiden first-class 50 from 75 balls and with seven fours and went on to celebrate the landmark with a towering six off Gareth Batty before his two-hour stay ended.

The extra bounce of the second new ball proved his undoing, as Kabir Ali found the leading edge to earn a simple return catch that made it 192 for seven.

Ben Trott soon went leg before to the same bowler when playing back to an off-cutter, then Alamgir Sheriyar, having scored the boundary to earn a fifth batting bonus point, ran himself out when attempting a second run to Andy Bichel at third man.

Tredwell farmed the bowling with last man Simon Cusden at the crease and did well to take his own score on to 47 in just over three hours before shipping a catch to mid-on.