JUST 15 OVERS PLAYED ON OPENING DAY AGAINST KENT
14 September 2015
Daniel Bell-Drummond was the sole casualty of a rain ruined opening day in Canterbury where only 15 overs were bowled at the start of Kent’s final home game of the LV= County Championship campaign against Gloucestershire.
Tom Hampton was named in the starting XI for Gloucestershire whilst Michael Klinger was rested.
After barely an hour’s play Kent had reached 67 for one at stumps with Sean Dickson on 31 not out together with Joe Denly, who was unbeaten on nine.
Play finally got underway at 5pm, when the visitors elected to bowl after winning the delayed toss, yet within five minutes match umpires David Millns and Paul Baldwin asked for the floodlights to go on. However, high wind speeds prevented use of the retractable pylons under health and safety regulations and Kent were made to bat on.
Despite the blowy and gloomy conditions Kent opener Daniel Bell-Drummond made a breezy start by taking four early boundaries; two steers through third man, a clip through backward square and a crisp off drive all off the bowling of David Payne.
At the other end, Dickson, the 24-year-old opening bat making his home debut, required 17 balls before getting off the mark with a steer for two through square leg.
Bell-Drummond (22) departed when his late decision to shoulder arms at an in-ducker from left-arm quick bowler Payne left him susceptible to the lbw shout that immediately followed to make it 24 for one.
To Bell-Drummond’s chagrin, the other players followed him off for a seven-minute break for yet another shower and the loss of a further over’s play.
Dickson re-emerged after the interval and, in tandem with Joe Denly batted out the final eight overs of the without any further alarm.
There had been no play in the opening two sessions at The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence after overnight rain and blustery morning showers delayed the start for six-and-a-half hours.
