FORMER Cambridge Blue Ed Smith will lead Kent in the three-day friendly starting tomorrow against the Dark Blues of Oxford University Centre of Cricketing Excellence.

Smith, who scored 50-plus in his first six innings for the Cambridge University team, returns to The Parks to skipper a fairly experienced county side.

Fellow England caps Geraint Jones and Min Patel, together with former England Under-19 all-rounders Alex Loudon and James Tredwell, join Smith in a strong x1.

Whitstable Cricket Club’s rising star Joe Denly is handed a first-class debut having impressed in pre-season training with his leg-spin bowling, but more particularly his batting.

Winter tourist Geraint Jones will also continue behind the stumps after Kent resisted the chance to play his understudy Niall O’Brien.

Kent: Denly, Carberry, Smith (capt), Loudon, Jones, Tredwell, Dennington, Khan, Patel, Stiff, Sheriyar.