Milne hits 50 as Kent salvage draw in Trent Bridge day-nighter
Adam Milne hit a belligerent half-century as Kent denied unbeaten league leaders Notts victory in the day-night Specsavers County Championship match at Trent Bridge.
The Black Caps bowler struck eight boundaries on his county cricket debut as the visitors needed to bat time after the opening session was washed out due to morning showers.
His eight-wicket resistance with Adam Rouse (35) added 79 to the total before the New Zealander nicked behind to Chris Read the ball after reaching his fourth first class 50 off 87 balls.
Rouse was the last man to fall, holing out for 35 with Mitch Claydon unbeaten on 7 and Darren Stevens unable to resume his innings due to ECB concussion protocols.
With a target of 75 to win, rain descended on the East Midlands to allow Kent to pick up eight precious points.
Speak about the trial of pink-ball Championship cricket, Kent head coach Matt Walker said: “I think there has been a fairly mixed reaction to the pink ball. Individually, everyone has had their own little battles with it, I think it’s just different, that’s the biggest issue.
“It’s not done excessive amounts in the air but it is just a slightly different feel in the hands for the bowlers and sometimes it reacted differently off the surface for the bowlers, so Stevo (Darren Stevens), for example, wasn’t quite getting that zip off the wicket that he would do with a red ball.
“I think in terms of the batting the biggest issue for the lads is that they weren’t able to pick up the seam and weren’t quite seeing the shape of the delivery so they were just seeing a pink blur coming down and when you facing the likes of Pattinson and Ball at good pace it can be a bit of a challenge.
“I think it is fine to try something, it’s all a little bit like the first year of T20 when no-one really knew what was going on but look how that’s turned out. If they are going to stick with it then I hope they have more than one game a year so people can used to it, rather than just a token one-off.”