ONLY 30 minutes of play proved possible on a rain-ruined opening day of Kent's LV Championship clash with Surrey at Whitgift School in Croydon, but that was time enough for Kent to again reveal their penchant for dropping catches.

Having downed half-a-dozen crucial chances against Hampshire last week, opportunities that allowed Shane Warne's side to escape St Lawrence with a draw, Kent were again caught red-handed by spurning a comfortable chance from the bat of in-form Surrey No3 Mark Ramprakash.

Having elected to bow on an overcast morning, Rob Key's side made an impressive start in conditions that suited their new ball attack of Yasir Arafat and Andrew Hall to a tee.

Arafat beat the bat three times with lifting leg-cutters, but it was Hall who made the breakthrough when he nipped one back in off the seam to trap Scott Newman (9) leg before in the fourth over of the game.

Hall ought to have added the prized scalp of Ramprakash in his next over, the sixth of the session, but sadly that vital chance went down.

Having already scored 676 championship runs this summer at an astonishing average of 135.2, the former England batsman and celebrity ballroom dancer had still to get off the mark when he tried to fence a Hall lifter off his hip.

Failing to keep the ball down, it flew directly to Joe Denly under the helmet at short-leg but, despite getting two hands on it, Denly was unable to hold on.

As is often the way, Ramprakash then opened his account with a beautifully timed off drive that scorched through mid-off for four but that was the last noteworthy shot of the day.

With Surrey on 18 for one after eight overs, the heavens opened at 11.30am forcing the players from the field. Umpires Jeremy Lloyds and Peter Hartley took the players in for an early lunch at 1pm, but the rain continued unabated until the officials abandoned play for the day shortly before 3.30pm.

SCORECARD

Surrey first innings

S A Newman lbw b Hall 9
J N Batty not out 2
M R Ramprakash not out 5
Extras 2

Total 18 for one after eight overs

Fall of wicket: 1-13

Bowling: Arafat 4-2-5-0, Hall 4-2-11-1.