FORMER England pace bowler Martin Saggers almost started his summer with a hat-trick at Beckenham where Kent enjoyed the best of the opening day of their two day friendly with Surrey.

The teams agreed to play a 15-man per side match for this their final pre-season friendly of the spring, as well as splitting the share of overs each day allowing Surrey to bat the first 70 overs and Kent the final 30 if time and light permitted at the Worsley Bridge Road ground.

On a decent pitch that offered some assistance to the seamers from the Crystal Palace End, Surrey's batsmen struggled fro any fluency and only opener Scott Newman survived for any length of time to top-score with 45.

That said, Newman should have been dismissed to the first ball of the day when he push drove at a Saggers delivery only to see Kent triallist David Burton drop a simple catch at mid-on.

Burton redeemed himself by bowling well as first change, the former Gloucestershire 2nd team seamer bagging two for 18 from his eight overs.

Saggers returned to dismiss Usman Afzal (12) and Chris Schofield (0) with successive deliveries and then saw Chris Jordan play and narrowly miss his hat-trick delivery.

Saggers gave way after a 10-over stint of two fro 16 to Kent Academy seamer Matthew Coles, who proved a real handful to the Surrey line-up in taking three for 14 in six overs.

Surrey closed their 70 overs on 195 for the loss of 13 wickets leaving Kent to bat the remainder of the day.

They suffered an early casualty with the loss of Joe Denly for one to a catch at slip, but moved on reasonably smoothly thereafter to reach 35 for one with skipper Rob Key unbeaten on 23.

The match will be completed on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Kent are still awaiting the outcome of their registration appeal hearing over Kolpak signing Justin Kemp held at Lord's on Wednesday afternoon.

Kemp and six other potential county players submitted appeals, but it is thought the ECB Board will delay announcing their decision until Thursday morning.