My annual trip to Canterbury to see Kent CCC was made, as is customary, during the cricket festival week.

It became something of a tradition that I would enjoy a day with my father, Michael, during ‘Canterbury’ week. Sadly, he died five years ago, actually during the festival week, so the visit now is in remembrance of the good times we had together there.

We had a routine that meant he stayed with us on the preceding night so he could see his granddaughters and daughter-in-law. He would then drive me and him to the ground and use his life member, friend, and parking entitlement (usually far too early) so we would go into the pavilion and I’d have my first beer of the day. After that, we would watch the first two sessions together before he drove home to Herne Bay whilst I viewed the last session from the CAMRA beer tent.

To give me the optimum chance of a full day’s cricket this year, I booked holiday for the first day of the LVCC Championship game with Northamptonshire.

Leaving home in Bexley at 9:00, I was lucky with buses and arrived at Bromley South station in time for the 9:58 to Canterbury East (I was aiming for a train 25 minutes later). Once at my destination, I set off towards the ground knowing that there was sufficient time for me to visit the Phoenix. However, aware that the CAMRA beer tent would be available to me for the next seven hours, I thought it better to pace myself so I walked past.

Because it is just once a year, going into the ground still gives me a thrill and I surveyed the surroundings before heading for the hallowed tent. Upon entering, I saw that there was a beer on from the new Romney Marsh brewery, so I ordered myself a pint and found a seat.

At around the same time, the result of the toss was announced (hurrah, Sam Northeast won it and Kent were to bat) and changes to the scorecard were read out. I looked at the team and thought at least one of that top seven should score a ton, and there should be good contributions from several others. I can enjoy a full day of Kent batting. How wrong I was!

Photographer Sarah Ansell walked past and parked herself for the day by the Nackington Road end sightscreen with various bags including assorted natty headwear. However I couldn’t help noticing how white the stumps were and was mesmerised by them for a while.

Maybe the same was the case for Daniel Bell-Drummond. He survived a confident LBW appeal first ball, then somehow two more deliveries, before edging his fourth to slip who gave him no birthday present by dropping it. That was that for him, and Joe Denly had to survive two further big LBW shouts before the first over was complete.

Denly and Rob Key then got through a difficult spell but appeared quite comfortable before the way cricket can ebb and flow was demonstrated to the full as Kent contrived to lose three wickets, including the skipper for a golden duck, whilst scoring just one run.

Darren Stevens joined Denly and the two of them saw Kent through to lunch with 66 on the board (the morning was only a 90 minute session).

Pretending I knew what I was looking at, I avoided the slogged tennis balls flying everywhere, and perused the pitch. It looked far better than ones I have played on over the years but there were obviously undetectable demons within for Kent to have struggled to such an extent.

After lunch Denly moved on to 50 but then succumbed without adding to his score. Sam Billings came in but was soon on his way back, being the third Kent batsman not to bother the scorers. Both were out LBW to Olly Stone who appeared to have an umpire more inclined to his appeals at the Pavilion End than had been the case at the Nackington Road End.

Stevens continued to bat well until out tamely leaving Calum Haggett to play the only other significant knock. When Matt Hunn came out at eleven, it looked like Northants might bat before tea but a 34 run partnership (Hunn contributed far more than three not out might suggest) ensured that would not be the case. Haggett was dismissed for 49, which was harsh because he deserved a half century.

There was a remembrance service around the Lime Tree at tea-time in which Rob Key laid a momento. Although it was chiefly to remember all the lives affected through armed conflict, I also took the opportunity to reflect on good times with my father as well as my friend Steve Rann, another deceased Kent member, who I used to meet in the beer tent for the final session.

Of course, I had to finish the day supping beer outside the beer tent whilst watching the Northants  openers proving me right about the fact that the pitch was ideal for batting. Altogether, I counted eleven different ales were on at various times, all from Kent breweries, but was teased by the fact that Kent Session, one of my favourites, was racked but not brought on during the day.

Ten minutes before close of play, after James Tredwell had made a breakthrough, I departed to start the long journey home so missed Hunn’s late wicket.

Although, the overall day’s cricket was disappointing to Kent supporters, I enjoyed my day as always and hope to continue the tradition in 2016.