Despite being plagued by bad weather at Tunbridge Wells for three days, Kent came close to winning against Hampshire on Saturday.

In a game that appeared to be going nowhere for some time, both captains should be applauded for making a game of it for the spectators.

Hampshire batted on, the fourth day of being in bat in their first innings and went on to post 303 for 8, setting Kent a challenging target to chase.

For a while it seemed like the dream could become a reality as the home side looked to attack the run rate, but in the end they were forced to settle for a draw as wickets began to tumble.

Resuming on 229 for 6, Hampshire went for quick runs as they set about posting a defendable total for Kent to challenge for with Liam Dawson going on to increase his overnight position from 111 not out to 134 not out.

Matt Coles had Dimi Mascarenhas bowled for 20 whilst Kabir Ali was the other wicket to fall in the morning session as he popped one up to Rob Key off Brendan Nash.

Kent set about knocking off the runs as quickly as possible with openers Rob Key and Sam Northeast smacking boundaries at will before lunch, but were more controlled in their batting after the interval.

Key was the first to depart for 35 as he was trapped lbw by Kabir Ali with Ben Harmison the first of Mascarenhas’ wickets shortly after.

Both Darren Stevens and Matt Coles were pushed up the order to accelerate the run rate and for a time it worked, but then the game began to change.

The fall of Stevens for 28 and Northeast for 79 shortly after put some jitters in the Kent dressing room and when both Coles and Brendan Nash fell for 18, the side had slipped from 99 for 1 to 199 for 6 and it was looking a tall order to score another 105 runs.

So, it was down to the experience of Mike Powell and Geraint Jones to see the side safely through to the end without further alarm as Kent finished on 220 for 6 and preserved their unbeaten record in the County Championship this season.

Kent won the toss and elected to field.

Kent side: Key, Northeast, Harmison, Nash, Powell, Stevens, Jones, Tredwell, Coles, Davies, Shreck.

Hampshire side: Carberry, Adams, Shafayat, Katich, Dawson, Ervine, Bates, Mascarenhas, Kabir Ali, Tomlinson, Balcombe.

Umpires: S Gale & R Illingworth

Result: Hampshire 303 for 8 dec & forfeited 2nd innings, Kent forfeited 2nd innings & 220 for 6. Match Drawn.

Hampshire 6 pts, Kent 5 pts.

Picture by Sarah Ansell. To see more of Sarah’s pictures visit www.sarahcanterbury.com