CRICKET broke out again at the 3aaa County Ground but Kent stayed on top against Derbyshire on the final day of their LV County Championship match.
Brendan Nash led his side into lunch with an unbeaten half-century as Kent held a lead of 17 at 135-3. Derbyshire were bowled out for 118 on day two, with the first and third days complete wash-outs.
There was no suggestion of a contrived finish before the start of play, leaving only bonus points to play for unless Kent could somehow build enough of a lead and then bowl Derbyshire out cheaply in their second innings.
Derbyshire took their first wicket in the fourth over of the day when Rob Key walked down the wicket to Tony Palladino and nicked a catch through to wicketkeeper Gareth Cross for eight, though Key's reaction suggested there was no contact with the bat.
That was 21-1 and Kent were 31-2 in the 12th over when Sam Northeast gave Cross a second catch, this time off Mark Footitt. He made 12.
Tim Groenewald claimed his 250th first-class wicket through a spectacular misjudgement from Daniel Bell-Drummond, who left one that sent his middle stump cartwheeling and went for 24 at 81-3.
But Nash was in very positive mood and a six over long on off David Wainwright took him past 50 and carried Kent into the lead. His half-century came off 55 balls with five fours and a six.
