Manchester rain halts survival bid

Kent 117-3 v Lancashire

There was to be no parting gift at Old Trafford from Michael Atherton, despite Lancashire's proximity to the relegation zone. Instead a bleak Manchester day saw them reduce Kent to 117 for 3 before rain called a halt to their dogged dance of survival.

After the stomach problems suffered by Atherton in the aftermath of the final Test against Australia two weeks ago (he double dosed on anti-inflammatory pills to get through it), his presence here was always unlikely. Never a man for figures, unless painted on canvas, he will not worry that his absence has left him 96 runs short of 10,000 runs for his county.

His last first-class innings for Lancashire, the club he joined in 1987, was in the Roses match against Yorkshire on 27 July. He was dismissed twice, for 17 and 1, by Steve Kirby, who was moved to comment: "I've seen better batsman than you in my fridge."

There is no doubt that, as his Test career burgeoned and his back worsened, that Lancashire did not see the best of him. Now, with the ignominy of Second Division cricket no more than a bad session away (especially if Northamptonshire keep dominating Somerset), there is not even the chance to repair the situation.

That will be left to those on the field, and in particular after John Crawley had won the toss and asked Kent to bat, the bowlers. If the possession of three spinners made that decision look strange, the removal of the run machine David Fulton, lbw to Glenn Chapple to the fifth ball of the day for a duck, was a boon.

Chapple also dismissed Ed Smith for seven to leave the visitors on 12 for 2, a situation that was improved by a brisk stand of 77 between Andrew Symonds and Robert Key. Using his feet to Muttiah Muralitharan, Symonds was the dominant partner until the Sri Lankan took a sharp catch off his own bowling to dismiss him. Thirty minutes later, with Key still there, the rain that was to bring an early finish began to fall.