Just when Kent’s bowlers thought they might take the opening day plaudits in their LV Championship clash at Trent Bridge, so Nottinghamshire’s mop-topped swing bowler Ryan Sidebottom galloped in to gazump them in the final half-hour of the day.

Having been dismissed for 202 inside 82.4 overs Nottinghamshire hit back in the guise of Sidebottom, who took 3-3 in 19 balls to help reduce Kent to 33-4 at stumps.

Earlier Kent’s former England swing bowler Martin Saggers, restored to the side after missing the draw at Hove, led the visiting attack well in taking 3-54 despite having three catches downed in the first session, but all that paled into insignificance once Sidebottom got the ball in his hands.

The England left-armer ran in to dismiss Joe Denly with the first ball of the reply. A full-length in-swinger, Denly was caught pushing from the crease and virtually played over the top of the ball as it swung back to peg back his middle stump.

Then, in the very next over, Charlie Shreck swung his fourth ball of the day into right-hander Martin van Jaarsveld (0) to trap him leg before when pushing outside the line.

In the fifth over Matt Walker (1) edged one that lifted and left him late to keeper Chris Read then, three balls later, Darren Stevens (0) padded up to another in-swinger to go leg before.

Opener James Tredwell (9) and in-form Justin Kemp (7) survived through to stumps, but neither will relish facing up to Sidebottom on Thursday morning.