When former Sussex players prove a point against their former county they tend to do so in style.

Last week, Warwickshire's Tim Ambrose was a source of frustration with 72 important runs and a flawless wicketkeeping display.

On day one at Canterbury, Yasir Arafat dug Kent out of a hole with a hundred on his home debut for his new county.

First Arafat helped revive Kent from an unpromising 140-5 in a stand of 145 with Matthew Walker, who loves nothing better than blunting Sussex bowling attacks.

After Walker fell for 103, Arafat pushed on to a career-best 122 before taking two wickets in six balls as Sussex stumbled to 19-2 in reply to Kent's 368. A day which Sussex controlled until mid-afternoon ended with the hosts in the ascendancy.

Mind you, if Chris Adams and company had to pick one opponent they would not begrudge some success against them it would probably be Arafat.

He played a key role in last season's Championship success with 41 wickets and 390 runs at 43.33 in eight appearances. His duel with his mentor Mushtaq Ahmed offered a fascinating sub-plot during an entertaining day.

Mushtaq enjoys nothing more than the sight of a Kent batsman fretting and fidgeting 22 yards away.

He has taken 92 wickets against them, more than any other county, although yesterday, buffeted by a stiff cross-wind, he was never at his effervescent best.

Arafat picked him with more success than any of his team-mates which was hardly surprising given the amount of balls he faced against him in the Hove nets last year.

When he was not sure whether it was a leg-spinner or a wrong un, he felt confident enough to free his arms and hit the ball over the top, including the drive over cover which took him to his hundred.

It was a frustrating day for Adams, who has not yet had his first-choice attack available for more than a session this season.

He has not won a toss either but Sussex seemed to have made light of that when Rana removed Geraint Jones in the 43rd over. It was his third wicket as he and Robin Martin-Jenkins exploited new-ball swing to reduce Kent to 140-5.

In his next over Rana strained a stomach muscle trying to take a low return catch off Walker and the balance began to tilt Kent's way.

Walker played well within himself early on but he blossomed after reaching 50 and the 23rd century of his career was only in doubt once, when Chris Nash failed to hold on to a top-edged pull as he ran backwards at mid-wicket when Walker was on 80.

His hundred came off 184 balls with 14 fours and he has now scored 1,122 runs against Sussex, more than any other county, at 42.

Two balls later, however, he got an inside edge trying to run Mushtaq down to third man and in the last hour the Sussex attack, by now without Jason Lewry as well as Rana, stuck to their task well.

Martin-Jenkins picked up the last three wickets to fall to finish with 5-67. Last season the all-rounder never took more than two wickets in a Championship innings when he often deserved better.

Yesterday he bent his back to get more bounce and carry than anyone else and claim the sixth five-for of his career. His victims included Arafat, eighth out for 122 made off 162 balls with 17 fours and a six.

It was Arafat's day and he took two wickets in the five overs Sussex had to negotiate before the close with Richard Montgomerie, who made 175 against Kent a fortnight ago, caught at slip by Walker before night-watchman James Kirtley lost his middle and off stumps.