Van Jaarsveld Bears teeth

Martin van Jaarsveld turns one into the on side at Canterbury on Friday © Getty Images

Martin van Jaarsveld confirmed his liking for Warwickshire bowlers as his half-century ensured Kent just edged a rain-shortened first day at Canterbury.

It is more than two years since the South African marked his Kent debut by bagging a hundred in each innings of an April draw against these opponents on this ground.

Van Jaarsveld finished unbeaten on 67 in Kent’s 195 for four today, in the two sessions possible after morning rain.

The hosts could therefore claim marginal ascendancy in this LV Division One fixture, after Robert Key had chosen to bat first as the weather cleared significantly for mostly sunny skies.

The Bears’ bowling personnel is largely unfamiliar from the one Van Jaarsveld faced in 2005 - with left-arm seamer Neil Carter the only frontline survivor in the absence of the rested Heath Streak.

But the number three nonetheless found it to his taste, on the way to and beyond a hard-working 113-ball half-century which contained some crisp drives among his eight boundaries.

Kent lost both openers in 37 morning overs which nevertheless already hinted at vindication for Key’s decision to take first use of an easy-paced pitch.

The captain himself was a little unfortunate to face a delivery which bounced significantly more than most to take the outside edge and result in a head-high catch at first slip for Alex Loudon off Tim Groenewald.

That opening stand was disturbed one short of a half-century, but Key’s fellow opener Joe Denly dug in to keep Kent in good health alongside Van Jaarsveld.

Denly had struck the first ball of the match from Carter for a confident on-driven boundary and continued at a pace until Key’s departure.

England Lions star Joe Denly pulls in his innings of 36

Thereafter, he was much more calm, but appeared set to reach lunch unscathed until he got an inside-edge on a ball which came down the hill from Naqaash Tahir at the Nackington Road end to result in a neat catch behind by Tim Ambrose.

Two more wickets soon after tea suggested stumps might be reached honours even, or perhaps in favour of Warwickshire - third in a very congested table at start of play.

Instead, though, Van Jaarsveld found a handy ally in Neil Dexter - one of eight players in this match with South African roots or connections - as 75 untroubled and unbroken runs were added for the fifth wicket.

Warwickshire hopes had been raised when Carter had James Tredwell lbw in the crease, and Ambrose collected a second catch in regulation as Darren Stevens paid for an indeterminate push forward at Tahir.

Van Jaarsveld and Dexter had few problems, however, in closing out an encouraging position for Kent.

Van Jaarsveld, who has had only one championship failure so far in Kent colours against these opponents, has now topped 50 six times in a sequence stretching back to his debut.

The 33-year-old admits that record definitely helps to make him more confident against Warwickshire.

“Most guys on the circuit will say they do pretty well against certain teams,” he explains.

“I’ve done pretty well against them, and the moment you go out to play against them again you go back into that space - knowing you’ve been successful before.”