The first day of Kent’s Specsavers County Championship clash with Division One leaders Somerset fell foul to heavy overnight rain and bad light throughout the afternoon in Canterbury, where not a ball was bowled in anger.

Match umpires Martin Saggers, the former Kent and England swing bowler, and Billy Taylor, the ex-Hampshire and Sussex all-rounder, inspected conditions dutifully at 11am, 1.15pm, 2pm, 3pm and again 4pm, but with leaden skies, a sodden outfield and no improvement in the forecast, the officials finally called it off for the day soon after 4pm.

Day two is scheduled for an 11am start with the potential to extend the action by half-an-hour though until 6.30pm.