Kent's title celebrations have been put on ice after the opening day of their LV County Championship Division Two clash with Leicestershire was abandoned due to rain.

Despite four inspections and plans for a 2.30pm start in Canterbury, heavy showers returned soon after the players had started their post-lunch warm-up.

That forced umpires Peter Hartley and Jeff Evans to call things off for the day just after 3.15pm. Kent only need nine points from their remaining two games to win the title.