AZHAR MAHMOOD hammered his maiden championship century for Kent to help the hosts recover from a poor opening session.

The former Pakistan and Surrey all-rounder teamed up with Martin van Jaarsveld (79) to add 138 inside 30 overs for Kent's sixth wicket as the hosts all but wiped out their first innings deficit.

Mahmood hammered 14 fours in his 126-ball ton, reaching three figures with a swept six over mid-wicket off Graeme Swann, the third six of his stay.

Van Jaarsveld’s stay came to an end just before 4pm when he holed out in the deep off Darren Pattinson.

The stand helped Kent save face after a horrendous first session in which they lost five wickets.

After a 10 minute delay for bad light the hosts resumed on 14-0, still trailing by 258 on first innings, yet it soon became clear that Kent’s top order didn’t fancy the challenge of batting throughout a bone-numbingly cold day simply to make the visitors bat again.

Skipper Rob Key (3) was first to go, pushing at Darren Pattinson’s sixth ball of the day from the Nackington Road end he edged a catch to keeper Chris Read low off the bottom of his bat.

Joe Denly tried to counter attack and moved quickly to 27 but he too went to a catch by Read, in trying to withdraw from a Charlie Shreck lifter the ball cut back in, ran down the face of the bat and gave Read the simplest of chances.

Matt Walker (6) went in similar fashion after fencing at a ball from Pattinson that reared up then Darren Stevens (7) played away from his body at a Paul Franks leg-cutter to edge to Will Jefferson at second slip.

Kent’s demise continued when Geraint Jones flashed outside off stump against Franks, the ball was parried by Read but again Jefferson was on hand to scoop up the rebound at second slip.