Dane entertains as Kent succumb

Kent 153 and 268 Surrey 361 and 61-1 Surrey win by nine wickets

If this match was a portent for England's World Cup prospects in their second round match against Denmark today then prepare for a bit of a nail-biter, because a Dane managed to drag this game into extra time before Kent finally subsided to give Surrey their fourth victory of the season.

Amjad Khan, Kent's Danish fast bowler, provided some unexpected entertainment and resistance with the bat, and then sent down three overs of leg spin at the death which were treated with exaggerated care by the Surrey batsmen as they knocked off the 61 runs needed for their 99th first class win over Kent.

They are now firmly back in contention at the top of the First Division, a pleasant situation for their returning captain, Adam Hollioake, who will lead the side in their Norwich Union League match against Hampshire in Southampton tomorrow.

Considering that the match had lost so much to the weather, and then to a burst water main which caused the start of the second day's play to be delayed by 90 minutes, it was a remarkable achievement to wrap things up inside three days.

Kent's second innings batting was on the poor side of disappointing. Resuming on a fairly sound 79 for one, their progress was rudely interrupted by a brilliant piece of fielding. David Fulton intended a confident cut to pass wide of Ian Salisbury at gully, but the fielder flung himself to his right and pulled off a stunning one-handed catch.

The same bowler, Ed Giddins, struck again in his next over when he had Ed Smith leg before playing across the line and any hope of recovery after such a cruel double blow looked remote. Paul Nixon dug in at one end, but apart from a belligerent 37 from Min Patel off 33 balls and Khan's unbeaten 42, in 47 balls there was little else in the Kent batting coffer.