Yesterday, only half an hour of play was possible on the opening day of the Whitgift Festival, but that was time enough for Kent to dispose of Scott Newman, who was leg before to one that Andrew Hall got to hold its line.

For once, the weather forecast was spot on, which resulted in a very modest turnout. The former Surrey batsman David Ward, who is now head of cricket at Whitgift School, greeted punters with an apology regarding the onset of rain; not that they felt he was able to control the elements. Again, the Festival's organisation could not be faulted.

The visitors won the toss, maintaining the trend in all of the Brown Caps' championship games this season, and the damp conditions contributed to the uneasiness displayed by the Surrey batsmen.

In the second over, Newman cut Hall in the air to the backward point boundary. Yasir Arafat beat the left-hander all ends up with some extra bounce, but was then pulled just past Rob Key at short mid-wicket for an all-run four.

Newman departed in the fourth over, bringing Mark Ramprakash to the crease. The former Middlesex man applied himself impressively without spurning any scoring opportunities, such as the one Hall presented him with in what proved the final over of proceedings, which disappeared through wide mid-off.

Ramprakash had one moment of fortune, though, when he was dropped on nought at short leg by Joe Denly off the bowling of Hall.

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