Kent A v Sri Lanka A

THE dreary summer continued at St Lawrence on Monday when the county's one-day friendly with Sri Lanka A was abandoned as a draw after just 54 overs' play.

A young, relatively inexperienced Kent side under the leadership of Min Patel had done well to restrict the tourists to a 50-over total 259 for eight and were only four overs into their reply on seven without loss when a half-hour downpour left the Canterbury outfield awash.

With one eye on their Twenty20 cup quarter final, the hosts took the opportunity to rest the majority of the first team and blood some of their fringe players and academy squad.

Martin van Jaarsveld, Joe Denly, James Tredwell and Geraint Jones were the only first team regulars on show and only van Jaarsveld had a chance to shine, taking three for 43 with his occasional off-spinners.

James Tredwell looked steady in taking two for 42, but the most pleasing performances came from Academy students and right-arm seamers James Iles and Tom Parsons.

Iles was naggingly accurate in taking one for 27 from the Nackington Road End while Parsons, blonde locks flopping from the Pavilion End, finished with two for 41.

The big disappointment for watching Kent coaches Graham Ford and Simon Willis was the performance of back-up paceman Robbie Joeseph, whose 10 wicket-less overs were generally wayward and included four wides and four no balls.

The tourists included three players with Test experience and two of them cashed in on a slow, yet flat pitch as Sri Lanka coasted at five an over.

Opener Mahela Udawatta top-scored with 67 from 87 balls, skipper Jehan Mubarak, who has eight Test caps, hit 40 from 35 balls before falling to van Jaarsveld, then Gayan Wijekoon, who has played two Tests, reached 51 from 67 balls.

Understudy wicket-keeper James Dixey took three catches and kept tidily, but Kent were only 12 balls into their reply when the rain arrived to send the players scurrying for cover and a decent crowd on their way home.

Kent's full squad now travel to Nottinghamshire for Tuesday's Twenty20 Cup quarter final at Trent Bridge. The tie is to be televised by Sky Sports from 5.30pm.

Scores: Sri Lanka A 259 for eight after 50 overs; Kent A seven without loss after two overs.Match abandoned