Gallian square cuts for four

Jason Gallian made his fourth ton of the Championship campaign as Notts boosted their tital hopes with a great start to their innings against Kent.

They were 397-5 at stumps on the opening day at Canterbury, with Gallian 191 not out and Mark Ealham on 38.

Victory with seven bonus points will guarantee Notts the title, and three more runs on day two will see them bag maximum batting points.

Gallian shared in an opening stand of 157 with Darren Bicknell, who made 64.

But Bicknell's dismissal by Simon Cook sparked a mini-collapse which saw them slump to 194-4.

Paceman Amjad Khan removed Russell Warren and Notts skipper Stephen Fleming for eight and one respectively.

And it was was Darren Stevens who picked up the wicket of David Hussey for 11, with Neil Dexter taking the catch in only his second first-class appearance.

But Gallian and keeper Chris Read steadied the ship with a stand of 146 that Matthew Walker broke when Read was caught by Dave Fulton for 75.

Read would have gone for eight had Robert Key held a regulation slip catch slightly away to his right off young seamer Neil Dexter.

Gallian also offered a chance, on 84, off Khan when he cut low to Walker, who could not accept the opportunity at point.

Unlike captain Fulton's bad miss at slip to reprieve Bicknell just before the opener was out, Kent's second and third drops proved costly.