County Championship: Kent and Sussex frustrated by rain as Nathan Gilchrist withdrawn
- Published
Nathan Gilchrist (right) took two wickets for Kent on the first day of their County Championship match against Sussex
LV= County Championship Group Three, Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence, Canterbury (day two): |
Sussex 181: Coles 36, Carter 32; Singh 4-51, Podmore 3-49 |
Kent 122-7: Podmore 37, Finch 24; Atkins 4-31, Robinson 2-40 |
Kent (3 pts) trail Sussex (2 pts) by 59 runs |
Rain and a wet outfield limited play between Kent and Sussex on the second day of their match at Canterbury.
Before a delayed start to play after lunch, Kent bowler Nathan Gilchrist was forced to withdraw from the game after being told to self-isolate.
The 21-year-old was contacted by NHS Test and Trace and replaced in the side by Bailey Wightman.
Kent stuttered to 122-7 in reply to Sussex's 181 before play was abandoned after tea following more rain.
The hosts, who were forced to name a completely new side before play began on Sunday due a positive result among their squad that played Surrey on Friday in the T20 Blast, still trail Sussex by 59 runs with three wickets in hand.
Right-arm seamer Gilchrist has tested negative for Covid-19 via a lateral flow test and is symptom-free, but must isolate for 10 days in line with NHS guidelines.
He took 2-24 in a 12-over spell on the opening day.
"Nathan was not with the squad on Friday and we believe this is totally unrelated incident," said Kent chief executive Simon Storey.
"The club has full safety protocols in place that covers players, staff and spectators.
"However, the increase in cases across the community means that even the most stringent Covid-19 codes of conduct cannot completely remove all risk of Test and Trace incidents of this nature."
Derbyshire's match against Essex in Group One was also abandoned before play began on day two after an unnamed Derbyshire player tested positive on Sunday.
Kent's late change in team line-up meant five players were handed their county debuts with 22-year-old seamer Wightman, who plays club cricket for Tunbridge Wells, becoming the sixth after his introduction on the second day.
When play did eventually start at 14:15 BST Kent lost former Sussex batsman Harry Finch (24) leg before to Jamie Atkins (4-31) without adding to his overnight score to reduce them to 69-6.
Harry Podmore (37) and Hamidullah Qadri (12 not out) then put on a 50-run partnership for the seventh wicket before Podmore edged left-armer Sean Hunt to wicketkeeper Oli Carter to end his 84-ball knock.