ED SMITH’S excellent innings ended after 276-minutes when Murray Goodwin atoned for his earlier dropped catch.

Thanks to Smith’s season’s best 166 from 208 balls, Kent reached 313 for five after 76 overs of their festival week clash with Sussex in Canterbury.

Having seen Goodwin drop him on 31, Smith added a further 135 before proffering a second chance by smashing a Mohammad Akram long-hop down Goodwin’s throat at long leg.

Matt Dennington then marched in to become Kent’s second golden duck of the day when he went leg before at an Akram off-cutter.

Matt Walker and Niall O’Brien dug in thereafter to take Kent onto their third batting bonus point of the day.

Kent went into the game without England players Geraint Jones and Rob Key, as well as fast bowlers Martin Saggers (knee) and Ian Butler (thigh).

Antiga-born Rob Joseph, 22, was given a home debut and will form an inexperienced new ball attack with England Under-19 seamer Simon Cusden.