KENT Spitfires travel across the border into Wales on Sunday in a bid to slay the Dragons of Glamorgan in the third match in defence of their Norwich Union League title.

The sides have not met at Sophia Gardens in a league game since April 1998, when a haul of three for 18 by Matthew Fleming and an unbeaten 62 from Matthew Walker eased Kent to an eight-wicket win.

The Welsh, having just emerged from Division 2, have made a good start to their 2002 campaign. They have posted two wins from as many starts since returning to the top flight.

They overwhelmed Durham at home back on May 19 and followed that with Tuesday's shock 45-run win over Leicestershire Foxes at Grace Road. Spitfires' skipper Fleming said: "They are a feisty team and we will have to be on top of our game to travel home with a win.

"We haven’t played Glamorgan in one-day cricket for a while and we know Cardiff won't be a quick, high-scoring wicket, but those aspects don’t worry me. But it does help that we go there having shown some decent one-day form in Norwich then at Tunbridge Wells in the week.

"Tunbridge Wells has been good to us in recent years and has helped kick-started our seasons and I hope it starts a roll again this year, because when we are on a roll we’re pretty tough to stop."

Kent's hero of four years ago, Walker, will be one of three injury doubts this weekend. A twisted ankle makes him a doubtful starter while Martin Saggers (knee) and Mark Ealham (groin) will undergo late fitness tests. Bowlers James Golding, Ben Trott and James Hewitt and batsman Ed Smith will again be on stand-by.