South Africa v Zimbabwe, NatWest Series, Sunday 29 June 2003
St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury |
Kent started playing at the St Lawrence Ground in 1847, with the tree already in place, and local historians put one of county cricket's most famous landmarks at 180 years old.
But stories have been rife that Kent would soon be running out at a cricket ground like any other, without a tree inside the boundary rope.
However, some recent surgery has breathed new life into the lime tree, as Kent chief executive Paul Millman explained.
"We have looked after it extensively in the last couple of years, pollarded it two years ago and it seems to have done the trick," he revealed.
"The tree was in intensive care for a while but now it's out and in reasonable health."
And the county are prepared should it finally succumb to the ravages of time.
A reserve tree is in place and ready to be dropped in in place of the original when, or if, the time comes.
Even when he has a day off, the BBC cricket correspondent is never far away.
Jonathan Agnew did not make the trip to Kent, but rang the box to offer his tuppence worth as the team on duty debated the tournament's system of bonus points.
The discussion had some of the great brains of cricket - otherwise known as the Test Match Special team at Canterbury - going round in circles.
It was enough to remind Vic Marks of Humphrey Lyttleton and I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue - "well team, it's a simple game".
The bonus point is the sort of concept that requires a degree in advanced mathematics, but put simply, if a team scores their runs at a run rate of 1.25 better than their opposition, they get an extra point.
"I don't like it because it's hard to explain to people," Vic confessed, before admitting that it does have its advantages.
"The great innovators of the ACB developed it, but we all chuckled when they didn't make the final," he added, reflecting on the VB Series also involving New Zealand and South Africa in early 2002.
 | QUICK GUIDE: THE BONUS POINT General rule of thumb:
Team batting second needs to score their runs in 40 overs Bowlers guidelines:
If you scored 300, dismiss opposition for 260 or less; 250 - 200 or less; 200 - 160 or less; 150 - 130 or less etc |
"It's supposed to add interest to lop-sided games, but we had the wonderfully ridiculous scenario where the Kiwis were batting, but trying not to score. "The upshot was that Australia didn't make the final and Steve Waugh got sacked."
The debate was old hat to Aggers, who rang up to say that he had been calling it ridiculous months ago.
It is one of the perversities of cricket that too much sun can stop a game in its tracks.
 Blankets on cars is another quirk of cricket at Canterbury |
Canterbury was a case in point in the early morning sunshine. Baseball caps and golfing visors were the order of the day with bright light streaming into the commentary box - or a straw hat in the case of Vic.
"I found it in the car, but it's difficult to get the headphones fitting over it," he admitted.
But at least the team struggled on, squinting into the sun, which is more than can be said for the players.
With sun streaming off the windscreen's of cars parked around the perimeter of the ground, the third over of the day lasted 10 minutes.
And while officials and members of the crowd found blankets to cover the offending cars, the players lounged in the middle.
No doubt sales of windscreen covers, which are already one of the top-selling lines in the club shop, went through the roof.
MMIX
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
It undermines the game's credibility - axe it 
