KENT’S understudy wicketkeeper and Loughborough University all-rounder Paul Dixey suffered a fractured thumb only five overs into the game yet Saints still held out for a draw against Blackheath on Saturday.

The 20-year-old gloveman now looks set to be out for a month after chipping a bone in his hand and Saints’ skipper Lewis Jenkins, who took over behind the stumps on Saturday, will continue in the role this weekend.

Batting first after winning the toss, visitors Blackheath had slumped to 46-6 and looked destined for defeat but Dixey’s injury, picked up when keeping wicket to Alex Day, coupled with late-order resolve from Deepesh Khatri (91) and keeper Matt Shepherd, helped Blackheath recover to post a 55-over total of 249-9.

Hugo Snape took 4-46 and Charlie Hemphrey 3-60, but the hosts left the Highland Court pitch feeling they had allowed Blackheath to wriggle free of the hook.

In reply opener Dominic Chambers carried his bat with an unbeaten 112, but no one else in the order could pass 25 or show the same battling qualities as Saints limped to 212-8 in reply.

With Dixey unable to bat, it was left to Chambers to secure a losing draw despite a good stint of bowling by Riv Monsell with 3-44.

Saints’ skipper Lewis Jenkins said: “We think Paul may well have chipped the bone earlier in the season but he took another blow on it when trying to take a ball down the leg-side and was immediately in a lot of pain.

“It wasn’t an ideal start, but I donned the gloves and we fought back well as Charlie took some early wickets then Hugo took two wickets in his first over and, at 40-odd for six, we appeared well ahead in the game.

“But it was a flat wicket and they had two guys come in and chance their arm, it came off for them both and all of a sudden we needed 250 with only 10 batsmen.”