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Costly defeat for pioneering Danes

Kent Board XI (227-8) bt Denmark (169-9) by 58 runs

There was never a hint of glory to crown Denmark's first venture into the NatWest Trophy at the Mote, where a cruel wind blew relentlessly over the Kentish downs straight off the sea yesterday.

The Kent Board XI, with their nucleus of Bromley players - one of them, Matthew Featherstone, hitting 104 not out - were well worth their 58-run victory, but at least the Danes had made a start, their first foothold in regular competition.

While the country of Denmark can be associated with Lego, lager and Laudrups, poor old cricket clearly remains a long way behind. Ole Mortensen, their national director, will need all his renowned determination to raise standards, funds and public interest.

The game is taught at only one school, which makes fixtures difficult to arrange. The trip to England cost the Danish Cricket Association well over £8,000, so it is not surprising that they are hoping for a home NatWest match next year on a grass pitch laid at the Svanholm club in Copenhagen.

Mortensen, 41, has channelled his enthusiasm into what he calls ``pay-back time'' for his happy career with Derbyshire.

Kent were occasionally worried by some nippy fast bowling from Amjad Khan, 18, who had trials with Kent and Sussex this season and snapped John Bowden's leg stump clean in half, but in the batting there was only a last-wicket stand of 64 to cheer.

Mortensen said: ``I'm disappointed rather than extremely disappointed. The bowling, apart from Amjad, and the catching were all over the place. We need to be exposed to grass pitches more.'

Featherstone, a Blackheath prep school PE teacher, was the master on a slow, low pitch. The cold, rugged conditions were not to Denmark's advantage as might be imagined - ``our summer is about the same'' - and they spilled four catches before failing to deal with the wily seam bowling of Andy Tutt, an East End florist and Kent's captain.

Featherstone, an England Amateurs batsman, benefited most from the butter-fingers when he survived a dolly catch to mid-on. He had reached 41 and he made the Danes pay with a 133-ball hundred full of common sense and skill.