KENT batsmen Darren Stevens took up from where he left off in 2005 by hitting an unbeaten 122 that helped the county to a nervy six-run victory in the their opening pre-season friendly of the season.

The former Leicestershire right-hander scored his runs from 128 balls and with 15 fours as Kent posted a respectable 50-over total of 257 for five against Sussex at Hove.

Named as Kent’s player-of-the-season last year after reaching 1,000 first-class runs for the first time in his career, Stevens looked in total command as he carried his bat on a sluggish Eaton Road pitch.

Ironically, this was the first innings Stevens had used his new bat after his former bat, dubbed The Beast, had been outlawed by the MCC for its graphite bonded sticker across the entire back of the blade.

After the early loss of Neil Dexter, who played on for five, Stevens teamed up with Joe Denly (28) to post 71 in 15 overs for Kent’s second wicket.

Denly also perished when trying to force the pace, but Stevens ploughed on, regularly straight driving the pedestrian Robin Martin-Jenkins with immense power on his way to a 58-ball half-century.

New skipper Rob Key upped the run-rate with a brisk 23 as he and Stevens added 48 in six overs before Key miscued an attempted leg-side clip and skied to Chris Nash running in from deep mid-wicket.

Next man in, Matthew Walker, kept the momentum going however, as he contributed a 47-ball 50 to a fourth wicket partnership of 94 before steering a short one from Martin-Jenkins into the hands of Luke Wright at third man.

Young spinners Tom Smith and Oliver Rayner impressed for the hosts, with figures of nought for 45 and two for 43 respectively, while of the seamers Luke Wright looked sharpest with one for 45.

Sussex where three overs into their reply when a brief, but sharp shower led to the loss of nine overs leaving the hosts with a revised target of 229 from 41 overs.

Though neither side fielded any overseas players, Sussex were also without skipper Chris Adams and their inexperienced batting line up began to struggle in worsening conditions and on a painfully slow wicket.

Amjad Khan, initially bowling up the slope from the Sea End, struck soon after the resumption by trapping Chris Nash leg before for only four as the right-hander worked across the line of a full ball.

Neil Turk then chipped a simple catch to mid-off against Stevens, Martin Jenkins missed an attempted heave to be bowled by James Tredwell and Carl Hopkinson went to a run out after Matt Dennington’s 40-yard direct hit from deep mid-wicket.

Richard Montgomerie kept Sussex hopes alive with three lusty blows into the pavilion seats, but another rash of wickets ensured Kent’s win and a first victory for captain Key.

Andrew Hodd (27) holed out to deep mid-wicket then Khan, the pick of Kent’s attack, returned, this time from the Cromwell Road, to send back Sean Heather (3) leg before and, three balls later, end Montgomerie’s stay for 59 with a sharp catch off his own bowling.

Aided by a rash of fielding mistakes in bitterly cold conditions, Sussex still threatened the revised total but Rob Ferley held his nerve in the face of some late hitting to snare Rayner leg before.

With 20 required from the last two overs Khan and Ferley, who had Wright (45) caught behind off the penultimate ball of the match, closed the game out enabling Kent to start the campaign with a win.

Khan finished with three for 30, Ferley two for 56 while Tredwell bagged two for 39 from his nine-over stint mid-innings.