Somerset were frustrated by the rain at Canterbury where play was limited to just twenty two overs on the third day of the championship match against Kent.

When play eventually got underway at 2.40pm, Ed Smith and Mark Ealham added just six runs to the overnight score of 176 for 5 before Matt Bulbeck accounted for Smith, who was caught by Peter Bowler for 55.

The sixth wicket partnership between Smith and Ealham had yielded 67 runs, which may well prove to be of vital importance if there is to be a full day's play on Saturday.

Min Patel came into join Ealham, and by the time players left the field again Kent had moved onto 221 for 6.

After play was abandoned for the day Kevin Shine told me: "The weather has wrecked the game a little bit for us. With us still needing to take four more wickets we may well have a tricky run chase at the end."

He continued: "We have now got to see what happens in the first hour of the day tomorrow, when our first job will be to bowl them out. When we know what our target is we will adjust our game plan accordingly."

Did he think that Kent would declare.He told me: "Kent are an attacking outfit, and will want to get a result, but they will make the game safe for themselves before they would entertain a declaration, but we could have quite a tricky chase on our hands tomorrow."

© SOMERSET