Kent v Durham

INJURY worries among the seam-bowling department coupled with a disappointing defeat against Surrey in their final warm-up game have cast a shadow of uncertainty over Kent’s start to the championship season this week.

New county captain Rob Key will lead his team into the new Liverpool Victoria campaign against newly promoted Durham at Canterbury on Wednesday, but quite what the make-up and mood of that side will be remains uncertain.

Kent let slip their final pre-season friendly against Surrey at St Lawrence last Thursday which, together with a couple of injury concerns, has somewhat deflated the mood of the camp.

Having had the best of their warm-up matches with Sussex and Middlesex, Kent suffered a shock three-run reverse against Surrey when a victory appealed more likely.

Chasing a modest 256 for victory, Kent laid solid foundations through Matt Walker’s 70 and another impressive knock of 63 from 74 balls from South African-born Neil Dexter.

Walker, who has made contributions in all three warm-up games, reached his half-century from 59 balls, and looks nailed on for a starting place together with Dexter, who stroked seven fours in a 53-ball half-century.

But, after cameo 30s from Niall O’Brien and Darren Stevens, Kent’s run chase fell away alarmingly in the face of some modest medium-pace from Jade Dernbach, who bagged three for 62 to help restrict the hosts to 252 for nine in reply.

Surrey, having been invited to bat first on a grey day, had Jonathan Batty (78) and Scott Newman (56) to thank for the majority of their runs as Kent’s threadbare pace attack struggled to make the most of the conditions.

Simon Cook (right shoulder), Martin Saggers (heel) and Robbie Joseph (side strain) all missed the game and may all struggle to play a role in Wednesday’s championship curtain-raiser.

With Andrew Hall absent on international duty and Justin Kemp still missing having had an operation on an in-growing toenail at the weekend, all leaves Kent’s pace options thin on the ground ahead of Durham’s visit.

Skipper Key has been buoyed by the return of Min Patel and Martin van Jaarsveld from domestic duty in New Zealand and South Africa respectively, but with Kemp’s return delayed until next weekend, Key’s bowling attack looks set to go into the four-day season with something of a patched-up appearance.

The game at St Lawrence starts at 11am; admission for non-members is £12 adults, £8 seniors and £6 for juniors.