Kent have been handed an injury blow - before their pre-season schedule has even started!

They confirmed vastly-experienced batting all-rounder Joe Denly is facing a spell on the sidelines as they revealed their squad on Saturday for a two-day warm-up match with Sussex in Canterbury.

An England international with 15 Test caps to his name, Denly - whose nephew Jaydn is also part of Kent’s squad - sustained a fractured arm while batting in the nets and is now a doubt for next month’s opening County Championship Division 2 game at Northamptonshire.

“Not the best timing, but [I] will be doing all I can to get back ASAP,” the 39-year-old posted on social media.

Vice-captain Jack Leaning (hamstring) and Marcus O’Riordan (lower-back spasm), another batting all-rounder, also will miss new Kent head coach Adam Hollioake’s first game at the helm - as will England Test batsman Zak Crawley.

Crawley could then return as Kent welcome Essex to Canterbury’s Spitfire Ground for another two-day warm-up fixture from Thursday, with England closely monitoring the 27-year-old former Tonbridge School pupil’s workload.

Kent will conclude pre-season with a three-day university match against Loughborough UCCE at the same venue from next Sunday.

Left-arm quick bowler Michael Cohen, whose campaign was finished before a ball was bowled in 2024 due to a back stress fracture, is one that will not feature in Kent’s warm-up fixtures.

The 26-year-old will only head to the UK from his “return-to-bowling schedule” in South Africa, ahead of Kent’s 2025 county campaign.