Walker strides Kent forward

Matthew Walker © Getty Images

Matthew Walker's second championship hundred of the summer frustrated Lancashire's Division One title-chasing ambitions at Canterbury.

Walker (139no) underpinned Kent's 320 for seven on a day which briefly threatened to go from aggravating to something significantly worse for Lancashire when Muttiah Muralitharan had to abort his 34th over and leave the field with discomfort in his bowling arm.

Happily, the master off-spinner returned 23 minutes later - but by stumps Lancashire were still left to reflect on a first day which might have gone much better.

Glen Chapple nipped out two wickets in two balls under initial cloud cover, after captain Mark Chilton had surprisingly chosen to field first - but Walker then dug in for a fourth-wicket stand of 123 with Neil Dexter.

Everything - including the wiles of Murali, in his final match of eight for Lancashire this season - was shut out by Walker.

Walker hits the ball to the boundary © Getty Images

The stocky left-hander punctuated his resistance with 20 fours - mostly through his favoured off-side - and one straight six off Murali, from 261 balls.

Among his more memorable shots were the straight-driven boundaries which brought up his fifty and then his hundred, off Chapple and Oliver Newby respectively.

Chapple had raised hopes that Lancashire might be on the fast track to the victory they need over the strugglers to stay in with a shot at the title.

Chapple did the early damage, getting rid of Kent opener Joe Denly and number three Martin van Jaarsveld.

Denly attempted to bail out of a back-foot push at a short ball but got enough of a deflection to be snapped up at first slip by VVS Laxman.

Then Van Jaarsveld went for his second first-ball duck in as many days, lbw pushing forward as Chapple snaked one up the hill from the pavilion end.

Lancashire had chosen Newby in preference to their second spinner Gary Keedy - confirming the impression this pitch was not thought likely to be much help to the slow bowlers.

Oliver Newby justifies his inclusion with the wicket of Rob Key © Getty Images

The young seamer provided initial justification for his inclusion too, with the big wicket of Kent captain Robert Key - driving at a ball and giving Laxman his second slip catch as the hosts reached a vulnerable 50 for three.

By then Murali had already been introduced, as first change - but he was in for a long wait in pursuit of his 50th wicket of the summer.

Nothing he nor any of his team-mates tried could prise apart Walker and Dexter for 41 overs.

It was Dexter who finally went - to Dominic Cork, bringing the old ball back between bat and pad from the Nackington Road end to knock back leg stump.

In Murali's 21st over, he reached his half-century milestone - Geraint Jones lbw on the back foot.

But there was no shifting Walker. He lost his fellow left-handers James Tredwell and Ryan McLaren shortly after tea, the former lbw shouldering arms to Murali and the South African all-rounder departing via a self-inflicted run-out.

Simon Cook joined Walker to annoy Lancashire for another 85 unbroken runs and 22 overs - during which Murali's injury convinced Chilton there was little further point in delaying the second new ball.

The Lancashire attack remained unable to make progress, however, and Murali's return to field was presumably to ensure his eligibility to bowl as soon as he is needed.