Smethurst and Martin hit back for Lancashire

Mike Smethurst and Peter Martin hit back for Lancashire after Kent's Martin Saggers had plunged them into trouble as bowlers dominated the first day at Old Trafford.

Lancashire looked set for a big score on a good pitch after John Crawley won the toss, chose to bat and steered them to 94 for one.But they then slumped to 236 all out with Saggers claiming four for 54 and Min Patel picking up three wickets, although many of the Lancashire batsmen had only themselves to blame.

They were rescued, not for the first time this season, by their bowlers. Martin, playing his first Championship match since breaking his thumb on May 31, had Rob Key lbw and David Fulton caught at second slip by Andy Flintoff.

And Smethurst trapped Rahul Dravid lbw and had Ed Smith caught behind with consecutive balls to leave Kent on 14 for four before Matthew Walker denied him a hat-trick and linked up with Alan Wells to steer Kent to 41 for four at the close.

Wells was leading Kent with Matthew Fleming ruled out by a calf injury, leaving them missing no fewer than eight seam bowlers. They looked set for a long hard day, especially when Flintoff was racing to 29 with five powerful boundaries including a straight six off Patel.

But he was the first of Saggers' four victims and with Sourav Ganguly going for a duck, only Crawley and Neil Fairbrother of the recognised Lancashire batsmen threatened to make a half century.

Crawley was a bat-pad victim for Patel in the last over before lunch for a patient 42, and Fairbrother, who was dropped on one, batted for most of the afternoon session until edging Saggers to first slip, where Fulton took the last of his three catches.