Denly and Key flay students
Joe Denly made 122 to further impress admirers as Kent dominated
A 225-run opening stand by Kent centurions Joe Denly and Rob Key preceded a demoralising day in the field for Bradford/Leeds UCCE.
The partnership was eventually broken when skipper Key fell for a breezy 105 from 130 balls, caught behind off Shaaiq Choudhry.
England Lions batsman Denly flayed 122 off 155 balls, but he was eventually caught off the leg-spin of Tom Pringle.
Unbeaten half-centuries from Martin van Jaarsveld (71no) and Matt Walker (54no) saw Kent safely to the close at 366 for two.
A huge partnership for the fourth wicket between Mark Pettini and Ryan ten Doeschate dwarfed all else on day one between Essex and Cambridge UCCE at Fenner’s.
Essex closed on 406 for four, with captain Pettini unbeaten on 153 and ten Doeschate reaching 146 before the Netherlands batsman retired out.
Pettini was joined at the crease by James Middlebrook, who ended the day 46 not out.
Former Northamptonshire seamer Matthew Friedlander was the most successful of the student bowlers, claiming the wickets of Varun Chopra and Tom Westley en route to figures of 2-44 as Cambridge reduced their more illustrious opponents to 34 for two early on.
But Pettini and ten Doeschate launched a thrilling assault to put Essex in command.
Hampshire skipper Jimmy Adams succeeded where his team-mates failed as Cardiff UCCE restricted the county to 237 for eight at stumps at the Rose Bowl, in the week it was announced the venue would host a 2011 Test.
Opener Adams is unbeaten on 103 from 201 balls, but he will rue the batting failures of his charges, with the next top score John Crawley’s 36.
Jimmy Adams held firm as his Hampshire struggled to deal with a determined Cardiff
Thomas Allin (3-50) and Dai Rushbrook (3-44) were particularly effective for the students.
Middlesex bowlers Steven Finn and Shaun Udal shot out Oxford UCCE for just 126 on day one at the Parks.
England Under-19 fast bowler Finn took 3-36 and former England off-spinner Udal 3-20 as the students capitulated.
Their only resistance came from wicketkeeper Charlie Duffell, who finished stranded on 37 not out from 114 balls.
Middlesex were six runs shy of Oxford by the close, skipper Ed Smith unbeaten on 42.
Left-handed opener Billy Godleman fell just before stumps, caught off Paul McMahon.
Surrey struggled to break through Loughborough UCCE on a rain-affected first day at the Brit Oval.
The students closed on 148 for one, with Johan Malcolm-Hansen unbeaten on 93.
University skipper Matthew Spriegel, contracted at Surrey, was also 38 not out.
The home side’s only success arrived when Tom Jewell had Daniel Williams well caught by Usman Afzaal for 11.
Northamptonshire won their final pre-season friendly by chasing down 235 to beat Nottinghamshire by six wickets in a 50-over clash at Wantage Road.
Riki Wessels was particularly fluent with a run-a-ball 78, well supported by David Sales (68).
Niall O’Brien (37 not out) and Steven Crook saw the Steelbacks home with five balls to spare.
Northants seamer David Wigley took 4-55 and Lance Klusener bowled an economical spell of 1-9 from seven overs to help restrict the Outlaws to 234.
Former Northants batsman Bilal Shafayat made 77 and 19-year-old Alex Hales 61.
The first day of Derbyshire's game against Durham UCCE at Derby was washed out.
