On a day when fifteen wickets fell – all of them to seamers – the finest exponent on display, Surrey’s Martin Bicknell, achieved a distinguished milestone by claiming the first five-wicket haul of his career against Kent, which completes his collection against all of the first-class counties other than his own.

It has taken the tall 33-year-old sixteen years and 233 appearances, but a record of 872 wickets at an average of 23.70 in the County Championship speaks for itself. Bicknell’s batting average – 23.75 before yesterday – is not bad either and he will almost certainly need to be called upon in his other capacity if his side are to establish any sort of first innings supremacy today.

Being as the last four championship contests between these two sides were weather-affected, why should this one be any different? On this occasion heavy overnight rain in London led to the start being put back two hours. At Lord’s, however, where Middlesex were due to entertain Glamorgan, the whole of the first day was lost.

When the pitch was revealed there were enough smudges of green to suggest it would be ideal for seam bowling and despite fielding both Saqlain and Salisbury, Ian Ward probably had no hesitation in inserting Kent.

His decision was more than justified when Martin Bicknell and Jimmy Ormond made up for lost time by having the visitors 48 for five in the thirteenth over and 153 all out three overs after tea. It was also significant that the home side held all of their chances, which, alas, has not always been the case this year.

Fulton was leg before to the sixth ball of the day. Key, who always appears to be Kent’s most assured batsman, followed six overs later when Jon Batty pulled off a superb catch. Symonds then cut Ormond to second gully and Walker seemed to be undone by the extra lift being generated by the former Leicestershire man.

Smith was caught at backward point (or would it be more accurate to say first base?) before Nixon and Ealham got their heads down and put on 52 in 45 minutes. Paul Nixon represented a challenge as always, driving boundaries either side of the wicket in the last over of Bicknell’s opening spell.

Ed Giddins had Mark Ealham playing across the line on the stoke of three-figures and late movement in the air accounted for Fleming before Martin Bicknell polished off Kent’s first innings with three for 10 in four overs.

Nixon reached his half-century in 129 minutes off 82 balls with his sixth four, which was timed so immaculately it pierced the fieldsmen posted on the boundary at deep point and deep cover. But, the Kent wicketkeeper was eventually undone when another outswinger from Bicknell turned him inside out and the leading edge was pouched at wide mid-off.

The spritely Khan captured the wickets of Ward and Ramprakash in consecutive overs before Jon Batty and Nadeem Shahid got starts and Alistair Brown made a light of the conditions by hitting 49 in 43 balls, including three fours in an over from Mark Ealham.

Adam Hollioake was missing yesterday. Having not picked up a bat in three months, the Surrey skipper chose instead to start his rehabilitation in the corresponding 2nd eleven fixture at Canterbury. By all accounts, though, he is set to make his first appearance of the season on Sunday when the Lions travel to Southampton.

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