Kent were left frustrated after overnight rain meant no play was possible on the third day of their Rothesay County Championship Division Two clash with early-season pace-setters Durham.

Chasing a third consecutive victory, Kent had hoped to press home the advantage built on Saturday, with Durham set to resume on 173 for 5, still 350 runs behind the hosts.

Despite clear overhead conditions at Beckenham, moisture had seeped beneath the covers and onto the playing surface, resulting in a series of umpire inspections throughout the day while players and supporters waited patiently for conditions to improve.

Ben Stokes, one of Durham’s two overnight not-out batters, took advantage of the delay with an extensive early-morning net session, but that proved to be the only sighting of the England captain in the middle before play was officially abandoned for the day at 4.08pm with the ground bathed in sunshine.