Kent frustrated by the Mumbles mizzle

Rain washed out the third play`s play in the County Championship match between Glamorgan and Kent at St.Helen`s in Swansea.

After a morning of mist and persistant drizzle, the early afternoon saw more continuous and heavy rain sweep in from Swansea Bay. A lull in mid-afternoon led to umpires Ken Palmer and Jeremy Lloyds calling an early tea, and an inspection at five o`clock. But just as drying-up operations began in earnest out in the middle, the "Mumbles mizzle" returned and the umpires abandoned play for the day at half-past four.

The game therefore enters the final day with Glamorgan still in their first innings, 75 runs behind Kent, with two wickets still standing. With the wicket increasingly giving some assistance to the spin bowlers, there could, in theory, be a positive outcome to this match, especially as Glamorgan`s Robert Croft will be eager to get in some match progress before travelling up to Old Trafford to join up with the rest of the England party for the Second Test at Old Trafford.

Today`s washout leaves Glamorgan rueing the elements for the second successive Championship game, as last week they had all four days of their match against Lancashire at Old Trafford washed out by rain. So far this season, the Welsh county have lost over 50 hours of play and today`s total washout is the seventh full day that Glamorgan have lost out of a possible total of fifteen day`s play.

The wet Swansea weather was also a huge disappointment for the St.Helen`s Balconiers, the famous supporters organisation, based at the historic ground in Swansea which over the years has been the scene of many famous days in the club`s history, including Glamorgan`s victories against the Australians in 1964 and 1968, as well as Sir Garfield Sobers` six sixes in an over in 1968.

During the last four years, the Balconiers have invested £45,000 in first-class cricket at the Swansea ground, and have been instrumental in organising this year`s Swansea Festival which continues on Wednesday with Glamorgan`s Championship match against Yorkshire, and ends next Sunday with the National League game against Sussex.

All of Glamorgan`s loyal supporters will be hoping that the weather improves for the rest of the week.