Durham v Kent

KENT skipper Robert Key elected to bat today after winning the toss against his Durham counterpart at Stockton.

Kent named an unchanged side, preferring off-spinner James Tredwell to seamer Simon Cook.

Historically, the Teesside venue has been a seamer-friendly one but the recent warm spell seems to have twisted Key's arm into sticking with Tredwell.

Despite making an unbeaten 135 in Sunday’s Trophy rout of Glamorgan, South African born Neil Dexter fails to make the trip to the north east.

Kent have played once previously in Stockton-on-Tees, that back in 1999 when Min Patel inspired an away win.

Kent: D P Fulton, R W T Key, M van Jaarsveld, M J Walker, D I Stevens, J M Kemp, A J Hall, N J O'Brien, J C Tredwell, M M Patel, A Khan.

Durham: J J B Lewis, J P Maher, G J Muchall, G M Scott, D M Benkenstein, G R Breese, P Mustard, O D Gibson, M M Iqbal, G Onions, M L Lewis.

* MARK PENNELL'S FIRST DAY REPORT WILL APEAR HERE AT THE CLOSE OF PLAY THIS EVENING.