Paul Nixon scored a century for his former club at his former ground as Leicestershire took a slim first innings lead over Kent.

And Phil DeFreitas took three wickets to push the Foxes into an even brighter position at the St Lawrence Ground.

But a solid fifth wicket partnership between Matthew Walker and Mark Ealham kept the match well and truly in the balance at the end of the second day.

Wicket-keeper Nixon, back with the Foxes after three seasons at Canterbury, hit 113 off 218 balls with 15 boundaries in an innings where only one other batsman topped 30.

Darren Maddy extended his fourth-wicket partnership with Nixon to 121 before he was caught off Greg Blewett for 69.

Martin Saggers ran through the lower order for figures of 4-75 as the visitors edged ahead in reaching 270 all out.

Veteran seamer DeFreitas enjoyed similar good fortune in reducing Kent to 68-4, Nixon taking three catches.

But Ealham made a patient unbeaten 40, hitting five fours and a six in the process, to lead the hosts to 147-4 at stumps.

Kent: GS Blewett, MA Carberry, MA Ealham (capt), GO Jones, RWT Key, A Khan, MJ Saggers, A Sheriyar, ET Smith, JC Tredwell, MJ Walker.

Leicestershire: DG Brandy, DS Brignull, CE Dagnall, PAJ DeFreitas (capt), DL Maddy, DD Masters, PA Nixon, JL Sadler, JN Snape, DI Stevens, TR Ward.