KENT handed a county championship debut to rookie left-arm spinner Rob Ferley at The Oval today at the start of their four-day clash with Division 1 pace-setters Surrey.

The 21-year-old Norfolk-born bowler was called in to form an inexperienced two-pronged spin attack with fellow 21-year-old James Tredwell.

Ferley, a student at Durham University, has played first-class cricket for the University Centre of Cricketing Excellence and has previously toured with England Under-19s in India.

This represents his maiden appearance for Kent in any form of cricket for the former Sutton Valence School prodigy. He replaces left-arm swing bowler Alamgir Sheriyar in the Kent side that drew with Essex on Monday.

Sheriyar was forced to pull out of the game after cutting his hand whilst washing up at home in Canterbury.

The wound, in the webbing of the player's right hand, needed stitches and although possibly able to bowl, the injury would have prevented him from batting.

Kent: Fulton, Carberry, Smith, Symonds, Walker, Ealham, Jones, Tredwell, Sami, Ferley, Trott.