Warwickshire endured a day of frustration as a second-day washout prevented them pressing home their advantage over Kent in their LV=Insurance County Championship match at Edgbaston.

The home side had dominated the first day, piling up 367 for three after they were put in by visiting skipper Sam Billings. Sam Hain (124 not out) and Dan Mousley (72 not out) were ready to build on their stand of 132 only for persistent Birmingham rain to keep the players off for all of day two.

For the older spectators present it all evoked painful memories of 1898 and the rain-dogged fixtures between these sides at Edgbaston when two of the three days were washed out and only Jesse Hopkins, who bagged his maiden five-for, took anything at all to treasure from the contest. 

The Kent side of 2023 were less disenchanted than the home side by the bad weather. The lost time increases their chances of escaping with a draw and also gives fast-bowler Matt Quinn, who suffered a groin injury on the first morning, extra recovery time. 

Warwickshire will hope it is not a case of déjà vu from last week’s game against Somerset at Taunton when they had much the better of the match but could not force home victory after the loss of the entire first day to rain. 

With a much better weather forecast for the next two days Kent, will still have to work hard to get safe against an attack including Chris Woakes – but the pitch is good for batting.