A majestic unbeaten century from Mike Powell has put Kent in a commanding position against Leicestershire at Canterbury.

The 35 year old, who was signed in the winter after he left Glamorgan, closed day two on 133 not out, smashing his second century of the season with Kent some 263 runs ahead of Leicestershire.

The day had started so well for Kent, with Rob Key and Brendan Nash well set at the crease and the side on 104 for 2, just 37 runs behind the visitors on first innings.

By the end of the day, Kent had put exactly 300 runs in three sessions, losing just four wickets in the process.

Nash was the first wicket to fall as he took his overnight score from 50 not out to 76 before he picked out Greg Smith in the gully with Wayne White taking his first wicket of the game.

An 86 run partnership between Key and Powell then ensued with the Kent skipper finally falling just fifteen runs short of his own century as he was bowled by Josh Cobb, chopping onto his stumps.

Powell and Darren Stevens put on 39 for the fifth wicket with the latter falling for 23 as he was the first of two wickets to fall to spinner Claude Henderson, picking out Josh Cobb at mid on after miscuing a sweep.

The second was wicketkeeper Geraint Jones as he managed just seven before being undone by a decent ball by the South African that he lobbed up to Jacques Du Toit at short extra cover.

It was then down to Powell and James Tredwell to see the side through to the close without further alarm as the pair put on an unbroken 92 run stand.

There were a few nervous moments for Powell as he spent some time in the nineties, but he brought up his second century of the season off 246 balls including eleven boundaries. Incidentally, it was Powell’s first ton for Kent at Canterbury.

By the close, Powell had added a further 33 runs, with another six boundaries as he began to open his arms against a weary Leicestershire attack that had been kept in the hot sunhsine.

With Kent now 243 runs ahead, a declaration may come at some point, but with the weather set fair for the next few days, they may decide to bat on and look to bowl out Leicestershire and record their second victory of the season.

Leicestershire won the toss and elected to bat.

Kent side: Rob Key, Sam Northeast, Ben Harmison, Brendan Nash, Mike Powell, Darren Stevens, Geraint Jones, James Tredwell, Matt Coles, Mark Davies, Charlie Shreck.

Leics side: Will Jefferson, Greg Smith, Jacques Du Toit, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Josh Cobb, Preston Mommsen, Wayne White, Ned Eckersley, Claude Henderson, Nathan Buck, Matthew Hoggard.

Umpires: Ismail Dawood & Trevor Jesty.

Close of play day one: Leicestershire 141 all out, Kent 404 for 6 (Powell 133 not out).

Pictures by Sarah Ansell. To see more of Sarah’s pictures, visit www.sarahcanterbury.com