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Day 1: Noon holds on to set new high

Mike Beddow at Trent Bridge

First day of four: Notts (18-2) trail Kent (191) by 173 runs

There is a simple theory at Trent Bridge: Win the toss and bowl if the pitch is a green top.

Invariably it has ended in defeat this season; the ploy backfired on three visiting teams and then on Nottinghamshire in the previous game here.

Nor can they count on getting it right this time, despite taking nine wickets for 111 in the afternoon. Kent responded strongly and only prolonged bad light, which removed 31 overs, brought events to a standstill.

Yet there had been little sign of trouble ahead during the morning. Robert Key channel-hopped between different modes, either passive or punishing, especially if the ball was short, and Kent were in good shape at 80 for the loss of one wicket.

Wayne Noon took the one chance on offer, a routine edge from Ed Smith, and at that stage he would not have anticipated the gifts that were to lead to a new Nottinghamshire wicketkeeping record of seven catches in an innings.

So, the understudy managed to nip into the annals while Chris Read was away with England, and it must have been more satisfying still to supersede a Test player of the 1980s. Bruce French held six catches on four occasions.

Only one of Noon's dismissal's yesterday - a leg-side take from David Fulton - seriously tested his agility and, in itself, this indicated sufficient rather than exaggerated movement off the seam for Nottinghamshire's all-pace attack.

Paul Franks speeded up their progress after lunch. First, he squared Key up to hit the off stump as soon as the opener had reached his half-century and next Matthew Banes, the record-breaking Tonbridge School batsman, was trapped leg before while playing back.

Vasbert Drakes, much sharper in his second spell, claimed his 50th first-class wicket of the season and a brief counter-attack by Andrew Symonds and Matthew Fleming ended with five wickets in 41 balls for Alex Wharf and Mark Bowen.

Day 2: Ealham's swing routs Notts

Mike Beddow at Trent Bridge

Second day of four: Kent (191 & 73-4) lead Notts (88) by 176 runs

This has the makings of another short-course championship match. The wipe-out of Nottinghamshire's lower order, largely the work of Mark Ealham in taking four for nine in 20 balls, meant that two innings were completed in 100.3 overs.

Only bad light on Wednesday and long periods of drizzle yesterday expanded the process. Yet, if 20 wickets had fallen on the first day, the inspectors from Lord's may have headed north.

Not that Nottinghamshire needed this loophole to escape censure. The pitch, green but dry at the start, is an old-fashioned seamer and Kent exploited it.

Three seamers complemented each other. Martin McCague bustled and postured, Julian Thompson maintained the accuracy of his best season, and Ealham's swing sometimes tested Steve Marsh's keeping as much as the batting.

Their reward could be a third successive win despite losing four wickets in a difficult last session. Alex Wharf and Mark Bowen profited as the day's total of lbw decisions reached seven and Kent closed with two nightwatchmen at the crease.

Ed Smith and Robert Key had topped up a lead of 103 by putting on 61, but two missed chances hindered Nottinghamshire's efforts to get back into contention.

It was that sort of day for them. Paul Johnson departed early, pushing forward to Thompson, and Graeme Archer was also leg-before to a beauty from Ealham. Guy Welton applied himself for 30 overs until top-edging McCague to slip and the incapacitated Tim Robinson, who had Johnson as his runner, padded up to Ealham. He finished with five for 30 and Nottinghamshire were routed when Matthew Banes took off at gully to hold an excellent catch on his championship debut.

Day 3: Unsung Thompson sails forth

Mike Beddow at Trent Bridge

Third day of four: Kent (191 & 222) bt Notts (88 & 237) by 88 runs

The ancillary statistics probably provided a better explanation than the easy option of blaming the pitch for a finish in less than two-and-a-half days' playing time. Kent are on a roll with three successive championship wins whereas Nottinghamshire continue in free fall after a fourth defeat in a row.

Neither side would qualify to bat for England on form - though they might give a passable imitation of the Test team's inadequacy - but Kent are so up-beat they can accommodate a shortage of runs.

In three matches they have been dismissed six times for an average score of 207 and yet their bowlers, not least the relatively unsung Julian Thompson, are sailing through every examination.

Though the pitch had eased after losing its green tinge under hot sunshine, Nottinghamshire were in no position to score 326 once Thompson had taken four for 13 in his opening spell. All that could be achieved was respectability with half-centuries from Usman Afzaal and Vasbert Drakes.

Afzaal's lbw dismissal gave Thompson his 43rd championship wicket of the season, equalling his

total from intermittent appearances in five previous summers. But Drakes kept Kent waiting with an innings in which discipline often outweighed his cavalier instinct. He was last out, for 80, to leave the final word with Thompson and his return of six for 63.