Kent made the most of the conditions on a rain-shortened first day to seize the early advantage against Lancashire in their LV= Insurance County Championship match on Monday.

After last week’s heatwave, Manchester reclaimed its reputation for inclement weather with rain and a strong wind battering the ground for most of the morning, ensuring no play was possible until 3pm before the visitors won the toss and elected to bowl.

Only 34.2 overs were bowled but, in that time, Kent struck four times to have Lancashire 112-4 before rain and bad light ended proceedings early with nearly 16 overs remaining.

It was Kent’s overseas quick Navdeep Saini who did most of the damage, taking 3-45 from the Brian Statham End, including two wickets in two balls just after tea.

Lancashire’s batsmen fought hard in conditions with Luke Wells top-scoring with 35 before receiving a near unplayable delivery from the India pacer and Josh Bohannon contributing a fluent 27.

The hosts’ openers Keaton Jennings and Wells made a steady start in tricky conditions against the international pace duo of Matt Henry and Saini.

Both Kent bowlers found early movement on a wicket that had been covered for most of the previous two days.

Just as the first-wicket pair looked to have weathered the storm, Saini produced a fine delivery to Jennings which was edged to Zak Crawley at second slip with the opener departing for 14 and the score 24-1.

Bohannon combined well with Wells as the Red Rose pair took a positive approach, Bohannon cutting Grant Stewart for four off the back foot a particular highlight.

But after Bohannon had drilled Nathan Gilchrist through extra cover for four in reaching a fluent 27, the bowler hit back with the next ball finding an edge that was brilliantly caught low down at wide fourth slip by Jack Leaning.

That left Lancashire 68-2 just before tea and Wells and stand-in skipper Steven Croft had pushed on watchfully after the resumption to take the total on to 97 before two wickets fell in two balls to leave Lancashire floundering at 97-4.

It was Saini who did the damage again, producing a rearing delivery to Wells that the left-hand opener could do little against, the ball flying off the edge to Leaning at gully as he departed for a pretty decent 35 given the conditions.

And it got worse for the Red Rose when Saini’s next delivery nipped back to pin Rob Jones lbw.

Croft (21 not out) and Washington Sundar (6 not out), playing at Emirates Old Trafford for the first time, negotiated a further six overs and two balls before rain and bad light brought an early end.

Kent’s Gilchrist said: “We’re feeling really good and it felt like we really utilised the overs we did get in. Hopefully, we can get early wickets in the morning.

“With the rain around and the covers being on, it was a straightforward decision to bowl and to use the facilities. Hopefully, the moisture can help us bowlers and it certainly has done so far.

“Saini and Henry are world-class bowlers and you could see straight away the skill level they both have.

“It’s great to be part of an attack alongside them.”