Read leads Nottinghamshire fightback

Nottinghamshire 393 for 8 v Kent
Scorecard

Championship leaders Nottinghamshire lost five wickets in the afternoon session but fought back late in the day at Tunbridge Wells to finish on an impressive 393 for 8 against Kent. In a game that started at noon to compensate for Kent's late Twenty20 finish at The Rose Bowl on Thursday night, the visitors had no hesitation in batting first in ideal conditions and against a home attack with only three specialist seamers.

The East Midlands county cashed in with a first-wicket stand of 42 - their best of the championship campaign to date - between the impressive Alex Hales and makeshift opener Samit Patel (10), who chased a wide one from Simon Cook to be caught behind as the sole victim of the morning session.

From 151 for 1, Nottinghamshire lost their next five wickets for 112 but rallied after tea through skipper Chris Read (72 not out) to shade the opening-day honours despite a season's best haul of 4 for 58 by Cook.

Hales looked set for his second hundred of the summer after going in at lunch untroubled on 84, but after a second-wicket stand of 112 he lost Mark Wagh (44) caught behind and joined him back in the pavilion three overs later.

Working to leg against Kent's debutant Sri Lankan legspinner Malinga Bandara, Hales found a leading edge and spooned a return catch to the bowler to go for 95 from 121 balls with 13 fours and two sixes. In the next over Steven Mullaney (one) flashed at his fourth delivery to give Geraint Jones the third of his four catches - his fourth accounted for Ali Brown, who nicked an attempted cut shot against offspinner James Tredwell.

Australian David Hussey, fresh from his honeymoon and having only landed in the United Kingdom on Wednesday, posted a composed 68-ball 50 but then dragged an attempted lap-sweep onto leg stump to give Bandara a second scalp.

Read counterattacked in the final session taking a six off Tredwell, but he lost Paul Franks (17) leg before after he played back to a Tredwell quicker ball. Andre Adams marched in to emulate Read's attacking policy and his lusty cameo of 35 included two sixes, the first of which disappeared over the marquees at deep midwicket to be lost amongst the Nevill's famous rhododendrons.

The second new ball allowed Cook to claim his fourth wicket of the day, as Adams was bowled through the gate, but Read continued through to the close unbeaten with five fours and that six to his name and with power to add on Saturday.

Kent's beleaguered pace attack suffered a further blow late on when their wicketless strike bowler Amjad Khan limped off for treatment to a leg injury, leaving Bandara to complete the 103rd and final over of the day.