Experienced duo Daniel Bell-Drummond and Joe Denly should use time out of Kent’s first-team squad to get ready for their T20 Blast campaign, according to head coach Matt Walker.

Bell-Drummond, 29, has been replaced in Kent’s side by in-form batsman Tawanda Muyeye for their County Championship Division 1 clash against Hampshire at Canterbury, which starts today.

Denly also remains out of the squad.

Kent then have one more red-ball game to play against Surrey next week before attention swiftly switches to the Spitfires’ T20 opener on May 24 against Gloucestershire.

Walker hopes the out-of-favour pair already have one eye on getting ready for the shortest format.

“It’s always disappointing when you’re not playing for the first-team - everyone wants to be here,” said Walker.

“We have a deep batting squad this year. It always looked like one or two senior players will be playing second-team cricket at points this season. We’re in that situation.

“Those two guys have got time to really prepare for what’s coming with the T20s.

“They’re two of our best players in that format, they have been for a number of years. Hopefully, they will play well in that competition.

“As we move through the season, inevitably, they will score runs for the second-team. We want our senior players playing well.

“At the moment, unfortunately, we have lost a couple of games. It’s not panic stations but, when someone is doing it in the second-team, it’s hard to ignore.

"It’s a reminder there’s people pushing for your first-team place.”

Muyeye, 22, has earned a recall through some fine early-summer form.

Walker said: “He has pretty much scored five hundreds in a row - with three hundreds, a 97 and a 92 not out. That’s what banging the door down looks like!

“There’s plenty of ability in the squad and in the second-team. We’re short on runs so it’s a bit of a no-brainer. There’s a player there that has been in great form.

“It’s tough on Daniel, who misses out. It’s a straight swap for Tawanda. They’re always tough calls.

“Hopefully Tawanda comes in and does well. He has been in the first-team before and he has earned the right.”

South African all-rounder George Linde is also back with Kent after becoming a father but will not feature against Hampshire.

“He will not be playing,” Walker stated. “We did think about playing two spinners but George is not quite fit, he has a bit of a grumbly knee.

“We will stick to the formula of Hamid Qadri playing and four seamers.”

With the squad having used a free week to get some white-ball practice in, Walker hopes Linde can get up-to-speed for the T20 Blast.

Walker said: “George’s in a really good space in that format. It’s good that he’s back and around the place.

“He just needs to build some form and fitness.

“When we get to that first T20 game, he will be raring to absolutely fire.”

Kent won their first competitive match of the season against Northamptonshire but are winless since - drawing one and losing two - a run which has left them bottom of Division 1.

Walker believes Kent’s break from competitive action came at a decent time.

He added: “It was a nice opportunity for people to get away and have a think about things. We have had two days of white-ball cricket. Hopefully, it stands us in good stead but we will see.

"People are ready for this two-game block in the County Championship and, hopefully, everyone is champing at the bit and ready to get going.”

While Kent are presently in the relegation zone, Walker is refusing to panic yet ahead of two more tough County Championship games.

He explained: “Although we’re at the foot of the table, we’re not far away from fourth and a win gets us leapfrogging up the table.”

Bowler Nathan Gilchrist also remains absent from the Kent squad to take on Hampshire.

Kent 2nds beat a Netherlands A side in a match which was reduced to a T20 game at Beckenham on Wednesday.

The hosts won by 38 runs on the Duckworth-Lewis method, Fred Klaassen (2-18) and Linde (2-23) getting among the wickets.

Kent’s reply lasted only 14 overs but a 32-ball 48 not out by Denly and Linde’s unbeaten 25-ball 34 got them over the line.