Kent’s County Championship game with Gloucestershire at Bristol inevitably ended in a draw after almost three days were lost to rain.

Starting the day on 27 for 1, still in their first innings, Kent went on to post 300 for nine declared with Alex Blake scoring 73 and Geraint Jones finishing 65 not out.

Having secured an extra batting point for Kent, Gloucestershire somewhat bizarrely came out to face just the one ball before the two sides shook hands on the draw.

The visitors soon lost Sam Northeast, who had added only one run to his overnight total when he departed for 13, snapped up by Rob Nicol’s brilliant slip catch off left-armer David Payne.

New batsman Brendan Nash survived a confident appeal for a catch behind from the first delivery he faced, but went on to share a partnership of 95 for the third wicket with Alex Blake.

Nash was four runs short of his half-century when he edged a ball from Liam Norwell to slip, this time presenting Nicol with a straightforward chance to pouch his second catch of the morning.

Blake had already posted his own fifty from 77 balls, hitting nine fours, and was unbeaten on 64 as Kent reached 142 for three at lunch.

Soon after the interval they lost Mike Powell for seven when Norwell clipped the top of his off stump, and Blake then perished for 73 as he attempted to crash a delivery from Will Gidman through the off side but edged to wicketkeeper Jonathan Batty.

Darren Stevens and Geraint Jones pushed Kent past 200 to collect their first bonus point, but Gloucestershire bagged their second when Stevens became the sixth wicket to fall, caught on the boundary by James Fuller off Nicol’s bowling for 45.

Simon Cook edged to Ian Cockbain at second slip for 15 to give Gidman his second scalp, and he quickly picked up a third when Mark Davies edged to slip for four.

Adam Riley contributed only two before being caught behind off Payne, but former England star Geraint Jones made an unbeaten 65 to help steer Kent to their third bonus point and ultimately take them to six points for the game.

The draw leaves Kent fourth in Division Two of the County Championship, twelve points behind Yorkshire in second place with four games to play.

The side now head straight to Northampton to play their next CB40 game on Sunday afternoon.

Gloucestershire won the toss and elected to bowl.

Gloucestershire side: Howell, Nicol, Housego, A Gidman, Marshall, Cockbain, W Gidman, Batty, Fuller, Payne, Norwell.

Kent side: Key, Northeast, Nash, Powell, Stevens, Jones, Blake, Cook, Davies, Shreck, Riley.

Umpires: N Bainton & M Bodenham

Result: Kent 300 for 9 dec, Gloucestershire 1 for 0 dec. Match Drawn.