No action at Edgbaston

No play was possible at Edgbaston on Tuesday

Warwickshire's new overseas recruit Alfonso Thomas suffered a frustrating start to his county career as the opening day of the LV County Championship Division One match against Kent at Edgbaston was abandoned without a ball being bowled.

Thomas, who has played one Twenty20 international for South Africa, has been recruited from Staffordshire club Audley to replace his compatriot Paul Harris for the rest of the season.

Warwickshire received clearance from the South African Board for Thomas to play county cricket on Monday and had his registration approved by the England and Wales Cricket Board on Tuesday morning.

Alfonso Thomas appeals for the wicket of Sourav Ganguly for the Rest of South Africa versus India © Getty Images

But the 30-year-old, who plays provincial cricket for the Titans, was restricted to an indoor net session on his first day with his new team-mates after heavy rain during the morning forced umpires Graham Burgess and Allan Jones into a lunchtime abandonment.

It also made for a frustrating returning return to Edgbaston for Kent just 10 days after they lifted the Twenty20 Cup at the ground by beating Gloucestershire in the showpiece final.

Ryan McLaren, who took a hat-trick in the final and won the man of the match award, was back on familiar territory as he worked on the ground staff at Edgbaston two years ago while he was playing club cricket and Knowle & Dorridge in the Birmingham League.

McLaren's heroics in the final have persuaded Warwickshire to make a formal approach for him, but they cannot open contract talks until a 28 days 'cooling off' period has expired.

Kent have already offered McLaren an extended contract which could lead to him turning his back on South African cricket.