Adam Lyth falls just shy of ton as Yorkshire frustrate Kent bowlers

Yorkshire reached 358 for 8 at stumps against Kent on a fluctuating first day in the LV= Insurance County Championship at Canterbury, Adam Lyth their top-scorer with 97 and Harry Brook making 54.

Kent all-rounder Darren Stevens celebrated being named as one of Wisden's Cricketers of the Year by taking 3 for 52 and Matt Milnes claimed 2 for 63, including the prize scalp of England Test captain Joe Root for 11, while wicketkeeper Ollie Robinson took five catches.

The visitors had regained control by the close of play in the Group Three fixture thanks to Steven Patterson and David Willey, who were unbeaten on 34 and 25 respectively, leaving Yorkshire with four bonus points and Kent two.

Yorkshire won the toss and opted to bat in numbingly cold conditions, racing to 28 without loss before Tom Kohler-Cadmore fell for 14 to the final ball of the fourth over, glancing a leg-side delivery from Stevens to Robinson.

The visitors continued to score at more than six an over for the first hour and Lyth reached his fifty before noon, from just 43 balls, before Kent slowed the run rate. Harry Podmore then removed Tom Loten for 27, tempting him to prod at a leg side delivery that was caught behind, leaving Yorkshire 128 for 2 at lunch.

Kent claimed four wickets in the afternoon session, including Root, who became Robinson's third victim, when he was lured outside off stump by Milnes. Lyth then fell three short of his century, nicking Milnes to Robinson and Brook produced an innings of controlled aggression before he was lbw to Miguel Cummins.

With Podmore off the field with an injury, occasional bowler Jack Leaning took a wicket with his first ball when he had Jonathan Tattersall caught at slip by Stevens for 11, leaving the visitors on 240 for 6 at tea.

Dom Bess and Jordan Thompson batted through the first hour of the evening session before Stevens removed both, Bess lbw for 36 and Thompson caught behind for 34, reducing Yorkshire to 299 for 8, only for Patterson and Willey to frustrate Kent's bowlers with an unbroken partnership of 59 for the ninth wicket.