Kent v Worcestershire

MATCH umpires Barry Duddleston and Stephen Garratt abandoned play at St Lawrence without a ball being bowled when rain interrupted their scheduled 4pm inspection.

The St Lawrence ground had been awash at noon with a lake on the Old Dover Road side of the ground, but the deluge stopped by 1pm and prospects looked much brighter as the afternoon progressed.

The officials took a quick look at conditions at 3pm, but with the super-soppers still at work and with rain having soaked under the sheets, planned a fourth inspection at 4pm but all to no avail.

Having watched it rain for two days in Birmingham last week, Kent will be keen to get out into the middle to take on the basement side in the LV Championship Division 1.

When play does get underway, Kent seem likely to name the following side: Key, Denly, van Jaarsveld, Walker, Dexter, Jones, Tredwell, McLaren, Saggers, Cool, Malinga.