Kent vs Leicestershire at The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence, Canterbury. Severe rain on day three. As a result, there were major disruptions to the flow of play. This match was a local derby and an important game in Rothesay County Championship Division Two as both the clubs needed vital points. Inclement weather has hampered their efforts, leaving the match poised for a likely draw.
Leicestershire’s batsmen put their team in total command by scoring a massive 471, an outstanding batting effort. Star player Aadil Ahmed led the charge, scoring a blistering 119 runs. Meanwhile, his teammate Sam Scriven was in the mix for a century, ending just short on 99. Those two were key in giving Leicestershire an imposing first innings lead. Spinner Matt Parkinson proved what a fantastic bowler he is, taking 7/137. This eye-catching performance left Leicestershire firmly on the front foot in the match.
In reply, Kent held the upper hand, posting 217 before losing their third wicket. Kent’s opening batsman Harry Compton did most of the damage. He ended the day not out on 111 runs. His magnificent display gave any flicker of hope for Kent, as they aimed to delay the inevitable collapse against Leicestershire. Wrongly out there, putting Leicestershire below Kent’s toes by a vast 254 runs.
Only 9.5 overs could be bowled before the rain returned to bring play to a halt again. Shortly after lunch the weather deteriorated. Once the bare pitch became unplayable, it was left to the umpires to call off any resumption for the day. Recent championship table: Kent 3 pts, Leicestershire 6 pts.
Rain still poses a large risk to play. Unless conditions swing radically in the next few weeks, both teams face the very real possibility of coming home with a tie. All players and officials will be watching how this plays out very closely indeed. They’re hoping for a reprieve from the deluge that would at least bring back some competitive cricket.
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