Chris Adams and the Sussex tail-enders made sure the impetus provided by Ian Ward's first Championship hundred for nearly a year was not squandered at Canterbury yesterday.

On a fluctuating first day the county were in total control against first division leaders Kent when they reached 210-2. For only the second time this season their top order batsman had provided the platform for the sort of first innings score which would enable them to dominate the match.

But Ward's dismissal to a tumbling catch at mid-wicket by David Fulton for exactly 100 was the first of four wickets to fall for the addition of just 40 runs either side of tea.

Ward fell to Andrew Hall and the South African all-rounder removed Murray Goodwin, with whom Ward had added 131 in 37 overs, in his next over.

Tim Ambrose, desperate for the score which would strengthen his case to be included solely for his batting, went to the first ball after tea and Robin Martin-Jenkins made just two.

But Adams put on 51 in 13 overs with debutant Rana Naved and his ninth wicket stand with James Kirtley is so far worth 59. Sussex will begin the second day on 357-8.

When Ward and Goodwin were playing with increasing confidence during the afternoon, Kent captain Fulton must have felt like the loneliest man in Canterbury.

Five hours earlier a hot sun had burned off the clouds and although the pitch was slow, it was no minefield. Yet Fulton decided to field first after winning the toss.

Kent's attack squandered any advantage there might have been in the first hour or so. Ward had a let-off in the fourth over when he was dropped low down at third slip by Darren Stevens, having hooked the previous ball from Amjad Khan over mid-wicket for six.

Ward and Richard Montgomerie posted only Sussex's second 50 partnership for the first wicket but they squandered an hour and a half of solid graft when Montgomerie was run out for the third successive Championship innings, which must be some sort of record.

He called his partner through after Ward had guided the ball to backward point but was left well short by Matty Walker's direct hit. For the crestfallen Montgomerie there was the minor consolation of passing 7,000 first-class runs for Sussex when he had scored two.

Khan produced a pearler which pitched on middle and trimmed Mike Yardy's off bail before going off with a migraine but for the next three hours Kent's bowlers had headaches of their own as they were condemned to hard labour under a cloudless sky.

Fluent strokeplay was not easy. Both Ward and Goodwin struggled to time their shots and there was much nervous prodding of the pitch between overs.

Nevertheless, Ward went to his first 50 of the season off 87 balls and Goodwin lodged his sixth in the last seven innings when he collected two boundaries off Simon Cook, the first a majestic short-armed pull which was the shot of the day.

Ward had a scare on 93 when a thick edge off Min Patel flew over slip's outstretched hand but a few moments later he was celebrating his fourth Championship hundred for Sussex and 22nd of his career, made off 172 balls with eight fours and a six.

A few moments after that he was back in the hutch after mis-timing a pull. After four hours of hard graft it was a soft dismissal.

Goodwin had raised his Championship aggregate to 845 runs when Hall got just enough away swing to find the edge and Ambrose was yorked by Simon Cook. When Martin-Jenkins, betrayed by a lack of footwork, was caught behind the balance had tilted Kent's way. Certainly fewer accusing glances were being directed at Fulton.

Rana Naved gave Adams solid support on his Championship debut, biffing three boundaries before he got a touch over-ambitious and was caught behind driving well outside off stump at Min Patel.

Mushtaq Ahmed drilled a return to Darren Stevens in the next over but Adams played another important innings with the tail, passing 50 for the third successive time in the process. On seven he was dropped off his own bowling by Stevens and twice in the same over he sliced Khan over the slip cordon.

But he rode his luck and with Kirtley's help they negated the threat of the second new ball. By the close they had taken Sussex to an unlikely fourth batting point, reached when Adams smashed Cook back over his head for six.