It was a frustrating day for Kent in more ways than one. The second instalment of their championship encounter against Surrey at the AMP Oval began ninety minutes late, not on account of the overnight rain or bad light, but due to the fact that when play was scheduled to start only one team had turned up!

The reason was the combination of a burst water main in the Hyde Park area and an accident in Vauxhall Bridge Road, which brought much of central London to a standstill. Only two members of the Kent side made it to the ground in time – batsmen Ed Smith and David Fulton, who had the good fortune to be at home in Blackheath on Wednesday night rather than at the Thistle Hotel Bayswater Road where his team-mates were based.

This finely-balanced contest finally resumed at 12.30pm, but fully an hour in the visitors’ only front-line spinner, Min Patel, was still nowhere to be seen. Sadly, his car had expired in the traffic. Fortunately for Kent the conditions continued to favour seam, though not to the same degree as on the first day when all fifteen wickets fell to bowling of that persuasion.

Alistair Brown added 79 to his overnight score in the 26 overs possible before lunch, which was put back to 2.15pm, and reached his second championship century of the season with the first of three cut fours in one over from Matthew Fleming.

The only wicket to fall in what was nominally the ‘morning’ session was that of Martin Bicknell, who kept Brown company for over an hour. Bicknell’s share of the 86-run stand may only have been 27, but his contribution to the Surrey cause was immeasurable, particularly on the first evening when the ball was moving around excessively.

Immediately after the break Ian Salisbury top-edged to second slip and Saqlain Mushtaq was caught behind before Jimmy Ormond dominated, yes dominated, Surrey’s ninth wicket partnership, which realised a further 46 runs due to some ultra-defensive captaincy on the part of Fulton.

The former Leicestershire man struck seven boundaries, including three in consecutive overs from Saggers, before playing Mark Ealham on to the top of off and middle stumps in the 81st over.

Despite Ormond’s cameo the lead role belonged to Alistair Brown, who made the third highest score of his career and passed 150 for the tenth time in first-class cricket and the twelfth in all. Brown, who batted for eleven minutes short of five hours, made 188 in 208 balls and struck 29 four and a six – over extra cover off Ealham – just before perishing at long on.

Jimmy Ormond’s first over produced the valuable wicket of Rob Key, but apart from David Fulton being dropped at second slip on 29, the visitors looked in far less trouble second time around. That said, they still have a mountain to climb today.

Play ended at 7.00pm instead of 6.30pm. The 16 overs that were lost will be made up in equal measure by being added on to today and tomorrow’s allocation.

GO TO:

BACK TO: