Kent started well, despite losing Ben Dawkins, in for the injured Ben Compton, when he was caught and bowled by Haydon for six.

Crawley had looked in decent touch, producing some punishing cover drives before he was bowled middle stump, trying to drive Martin Andersson.

It was still looking like Kent’s session until Ben Aitchison took a wicket with his first ball, getting Sam Northeast caught by Caleb Jewell at second slip for 28.

Zak Chappell then strangled Tawanda Muyeye for nine, leaving Kent on 99-4 at lunch.

Ekansh Singh and Bell-Drummond made a bright start to the afternoon session with a stand worth 54.

That was broken when Haydon had the former lbw for 20 and Bell-Drummond then narrowly survived when he was on 41. A Haydon delivery hit his hand and he just managed to paddle it clear before it hit the stumps.

He cashed in with some style and swept Aitchison to backward square to reach three figures – 12 years after he made his last century against Derbyshire, at this venue.

The Kent balcony erupted with joy and Benjamin, Kent’s most consistent batter this season, then took a single from the same bowler to reach 50, leaving Kent on 265-5 at tea.

Haydon had Benjamin lbw soon after, however, while Bell-Drummond finally went when he cut Chappell to Andersson.

Joey Evison pulled Chappell for a six that pinged off a rail in the top deck of the Les Ames Pavilion, but he was out for 21 when he slashed Aitchison to Andersson at backward point and Keith Dudgeon bludgeoned a quick 13 before he edged Haydon to first slip, where Wayne Madsen held on to a chance that was travelling at high speed – for his 400th catch in all formats.

A crowd of nearly 1,200 cheered when Jas Singh hit the single that gave Kent a third bonus point, but the innings was wrapped up when Haydon sent Singh’s off stump flying to bring up his maiden five-wicket haul.

Jewell narrowly avoided playing on to Matt Milnes during a tricky five-over spell before stumps, but the visitors’ gamble on not using a night-watcher paid off, with Harry Came and Jewell on 16 and eight not out respectively.