Hampshire Spirits Dampened at Kent's Royal Celebration

Simon Katich resumes on 21* in the morning

Report from day one of Hampshire's LV= County Championship match against Kent at Tunbridge Wells

KENT v Hampshire
LV= County Championship
Day One: Wednesday 6 June 2012
The Neville, Tunbridge Wells

Summary: Hampshire lead Kent by 50 runs
with seven wickets remaining in the first innings
Hampshire: 50-3
Scorecard

Kent Team
Northeast, Key*, Harmison, Nash, Powell, Stevens, Jones†, Coles, Tredwell, Davies, Shreck
Hampshire Team
Adams*, Dawson, Carberry, Katich, Shafayat, Ervine, Bates†, Mascarenhas, Ali, Tomlinson, Balcombe

Kent made very early in-roads in the 15.1 overs that were possible on a terribly rain-affected day one of this LV= County Championship match against Hampshire at Tunbridge Wells.

Mark Davies (2-21*) and Charlie Shreck (1-20*) put their visitors in all sorts of trouble after the start was delayed by more than five hours.

It was all Jimmy Adams’ side could do to make it to 50-3 before the heavens opened to bring proceedings to a premature close.

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It seemed everyone was getting in on the recent groundswell of support for the monarchy going into this match. After a weekend of Jubilee celebrations (and plenty for Hampshire Royals fans to cheer too, following a Clydesdale Bank 40 win over Scotland) it was the turn of The Nevill ground in Royal Tunbridge Wells to proudly host their 100th Cricket Festival. But, as with much of the Queen’s celebrations over the four-day weekend, it (quite literally) rained on everyone’s parade... until, that was, around 4:15, and even then, the home side’s bowling provided little to banish Hants fans’ gloom.

Having won the toss and put Hampshire in, the Kent attack were told they would have 36 overs to harass the visitors’ top order and though they couldn’t have possibly known, going out, that even they would be cut short (after all, conditions overhead had been good for most of the day, the hold-up was because of conditions under-foot) they most certainly bowled as if they did.

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Click on the image above to see highlights of this day's play

First, Michael Carberry (7) - promoted up the order after some tremendous recent batting against the new ball in List A cricket - fell, edging Shreck behind in the fourth over. Then, Bilal Shafayat (9), playing only his second match of the season in place of the rested James Vince, was trapped lbw by Davies.

The former Durham paceman has a good record against Hampshire, having enjoyed a six-fer and an eight-fer against the South Coast side in previous seasons. Included amongst his 31 Hants scalps were those of Adams (thrice), Carberry (twice), and Simon Katich (once).

And he would prove Adams’ (8) downfall once again as the skipper missed an off-cutter that moved off the pitch to trap him in front of his stumps; Hampshire 37-3 inside 13 overs.

Katich was joined by Liam Dawson at the crease and the pair saw off the next 18 deliveries between them to make the 50-mark before the elements intervened. They’ll resume on 21* and 5* respectively on day two unless (as forecast) the showers return once more.