KENT may expect a visit from a member of the ECB’s pitch inspection panel after 15 wickets fell inside the opening two sessions of their Frizzell Championship match against Gloucestershire.

Having been rolled over for 129 Kent set about reducing visitors Gloucestershire to 127 for five when bad light and rain stopped play.

Martin Saggers took three of the wickets to fall, including that of Kiwi dangerman Craig Spearman (42), who clipped the first ball of a new Saggers’ stint to square leg.

Andrew Symonds sent back Pakistan batsman Shoaib Malik (18) to a catch at the wicket, though the player contentiously walked off rubbing his shoulder.

While Alamgir Sheriyar got in on the act by trapping Tim Hancock (0) leg before with a late in-ducker as Gloucestershire reduced the deficit to four runs when bad light halted play at 5pm.

The players returned an hour later having lost 13 overs’ play, but play had to be abandoned just 11 balls later with Gloucestershire on 127 for five.

Earlier, the hosts were dismissed in a shade over two and a half hours on a disappointing opening day to this, their third Frizzell Championship match of the summer.

Overcast skies and a helpful St Lawrence pitch assisted all the Gloucestershire seamers as Kent were skittled out for 129 inside 36 overs – their last four wickets adding just five runs.

Symonds top scored against his former county with 33 from 36 balls, but otherwise there was little resistance as the West Country County made amends for two early season defeats.

Shabbir Ahmed took three for 34 on championship debut, James Averis chipped in with two for 39, but the real star of the bowling show was Jonathan Lewis with five for 46.

Though a healthy layering of grass made for some additional bounce, match umpires David Constant and Barrie Leadbeater stressed that, though obliged to report the pitch, they would not expect a pitch inspector to find any fault with the wicket.