Three-wicket bursts by Sam Cook and Mohammad Amir helped Specsavers County Championship leaders Essex to command a rain interrupted opening day to the 168th Canterbury Cricket Week encounter with Kent.

Three-wicket bursts by Sam Cook and Mohammad Amir helped Specsavers County Championship leaders Essex to command a rain interrupted opening day to the 168th Canterbury Cricket Week encounter with Kent.

Mohammad Nabi smashed five sixes in a remarkable 43 not out off only 12 balls as Kent Spitfires overwhelmed Surrey by nine wickets in a rain-shortened Vitality Blast contest at the Kia Oval.
On an evening when Kent supporters flocked to Canterbury to see the debut of Afghanistan’s World Cup star Mohammad Nabi, it was Spitfires other left-armer spinner Imran Qayyum who stole the show with a career-best bowling haul of five for 21.