KENT continued to make steady progress on the opening morning of the new

Frizzell Championship season by reducing hosts Gloucestershire to 64 for

three at an overcast Bristol.

They made the ideal start with a wicket from the first ball of the game

after skipper David Fulton elected to field after winning the toss.

After a 15-minute and four-over delay for drizzle, England seamer Martin

Saggers was given the new ball to make an immediate impact from the Pavilion

End.

A full-length swinging ball uprooted the off stump of former Worcestershire

batsman Phil Weston to give him the worst possible start to the campaign.

Saggers conceded just one run in his first three overs and struck again

in his fourth over by having Tim Hancock (13) caught at slip as he fenced

at a lifting leg-cutter.

Apart from the wicket, it was good to see Fulton, restored to slip after

last season?s career-threatening eye injury, snaffle a sharp catch.

Gloucestershire doubled their score to 60 before Khan, having switched ends

to replace Saggers at the Pavilion End, struck again to remove Matt Windows.

The diminutive right-hander padded up to an in-swinger to go leg before

for 11 in the 15th over of an overcast and misty morning.

Khan was celebrating again in his next over when Craig Spearman, having

looked untroubled in reaching 27, miscued a drive into the hands of David

Stiff at extra cover to make it 73 for four.

Stiff then replaced Khan after 20 overs for his first bowl in championship

cricket.

Kent: Fulton, Key, Smith, Carberry, Walker, Tredwell, O?Brien, Khan, Saggers,

Stiff, Sheriyar.