Oliver Hannon-Dalby runs through Kent before Navdeep Saini strikes

High-class bowling from Oliver Hannon-Dalby put Warwickshire in charge before Kent hit back on a wicket-strewn opening day in the LV=Insurance County Championship at Edgbaston.

In a crucial game, with both teams struggling this season, Warwickshire prepared a green wicket to expedite a result. They then won the toss and their seamers exploited the conditions to bowl Kent out for 165. Only Jordan Cox passed 40 as Hannon-Dalby took 6 for 40 and Henry Brookes 3 for 56.

Warwickshire struggled in turn and closed on 155 for 6, having leaned squarely on Sam Hain. Navdeep Saini, the Indian seamer, had an eventful first bowl for Kent, his spell of 10-2-59-3 including some seriously quick away-cutters and 13 no-balls.

Hannon-Dalby was magnificent. As leader of a severely-depleted seam attack - Nathan McAndrew the latest withdrawal after he went down with illness - the pressure was firmly on the Yorkshireman to exploit the conditions. He rose to the challenge with an opening spell of 7-4-15-5.

On potentially the hottest day ever in England, Warwickshire's decision to bat drew an incredulous reaction from their fans on social media -but those fans hadn't seen the pitch. Hannon-Dalby struck third ball when Ben Compton nicked to wicketkeeper Michael Burgess and, after Kent advanced to 28 for 1, added two more wickets in four balls: Daniel Bell-Drummond fell lbw and Joe Denly sliced a loose drive to second slip.

Hannon-Dalby won two more lbws: Jack Leaning and Zak Crawley who eked out 17 in 53 minutes then fell, hit on the back leg, offering no shot. Cox and Sam Billings added 72 in 20 overs before Hannon-Dalby returned to have the former caught behind.

After Billings edged Brookes, Matt Henry plumped for a spot of gung-ho. He socked three fours and three sixes in a merry 34 off 23 balls before slogging Brookes to deep midwicket where sub fielder Kobe Herft took a superb catch.

Saini steered Brookes to second slip and Matt Quinn joined the list of Kent batsmen whose quixotic aggression contributed to their downfall when he chipped Danny Briggs to mid-off.

Kent hit back hard with three wickets in the first ten overs as Dom Sibley, Alex Davies and Chris Benjamin edged into the cordon off Matt Milnes, Henry and Saini respectively.

Hain moved fluently to a 64-ball half-century and added 90 in 28 overs with Will Rhodes before Kent struck three times in 17 balls. Rhodes lifted Milnes to point and Dan Mousley and Burgess edged Saini behind before Hain and Briggs gritted through the last 13 overs to leave their side ascendant - just.