Robin Smith watched his bowlers struggle as Kent dominated the opening-day clash at Canterbury and then said: "Don't panic!"

Robert Key, an England Academy teammate of Hampshire's Chris Tremlett and Derek Kenway in Australia during the winter, smashed a 114-ball ton off the Hampshire attack after Kent skipper David Fulton, who made 98 himself, won a vital toss at Canterbury.

And after watching the home side rattle up 340 for the loss of the two openers, skipper Smith was left rueing the lost toss and some poor bowling from his seam attack in Hampshire's first match since winning promotion to Division 1.

He said: "I was disappointed with the bowling and they could have done better but I'm not one to start panicking on the first day of the season.

"I can only put the result down to a lack of match practice. We're far better than we showed today. We bowled with very little consistency in both line and length but, take nothing away from them, I thought they batted outstandingly well.

"Robert Key had a fantastic innings and David Fulton carried on his form of last season."

Hampshire's pre-season clash against Somerset at Taunton on Wednesday was wrecked by rain.

And that was the only pre-season friendly for Smith's men who did not go on the pre-season trip to South Africa this year.

"I don't know why we didn't bowl as well as we should have done but we have only played one match before this, although I don't want to make excuses," said Smith.

"Everybody gave 100 per cent and we fielded very well. It was a good toss to win and I would have batted first without a shadow of a doubt.

"It was a pretty decent wicket to bat on and I just hope that it continues to be as consistent in the bounce."

Neil Johnson was the only Hampshire bowler not to finish wicketless - and the Zimbabwean was meant to be struggling with a knee injury before he was introduced to the attack.

The only other wicket to fall was that of Key, who was run out by Mullally at mid-on after responding slowly to Fulton's call for a single.

Key and Fulton's partnership of 266 was a Kent record for the first wicket against Hampshire.