KENT face the toughest of starts to next summer’s four-day campaign with home and away fixtures against reigning champions Sussex inside the opening fortnight of the season.

The provisional first-class fixtures have Rob Key’s side opening their 2007 matches with a trip to Hove from Wednesday, April 18. Sussex then travel to Canterbury for the re-match starting on Wednesday, May 2.

Other championship highlights include a visit to Whitgift School to take on Surrey at the end of May. Surrey also provide the opposition for Canterbury Cricket Week, which starts on Wednesday, August 8.

Kent’s new county ground in Beckenham will host two of the eight Twenty20 qualifiers on Monday, July 2, and Wednesday, July 4, when Surrey and Middlesex travel.

FIXTURE LIST 2007:

Wed, April 18, Sussex Hove, LVCC
Sun, April 22, Surrey Brit Oval, Trophy
Wed, April 25, Cadiff UCCE Canterbury, UNI
Sun, April 29, Ireland Belfast, Trophy
Wed, May 2, Sussex Canterbury, LVCC
Sun, May 6, Essex Chelmsford, Trophy
Mon, May 7, Middlesex Canterbury, Trophy
Wed, May 9, Durham Riverside, LVCC
Sun, May 20, Glamorgan Canterbury, Trophy
Wed, May 23, Hampshire Canterbury, LVCC
Sun, May 27, Somerset Taunton, Trophy
Wed, May 30, Surrey Whitgift School, LVCC
Sun, June 3, Sussex Hove, Trophy
Wed, June 6, Yorkshire Tun Wells, LVCC
Sun, June 10, Hampshire Tun Wells, Trophy
Wed, June 13, Gloucs Canterbury, Trophy
Fri, June 15, Lancashire Old Trafford, LVCC
Fri, June 22, Hampshire Rose Bowl, T20
Sat, June 23, Essex Canterbury, T20
Tue, June 26, Sussex, Canterbury, T20
Wed, June 27, Middlesex Southgate, T20
Fri, June 29, Essex Chelmsford, T20
Mon, July 2, Surrey Beckenham, T20
Wed, July 4, Middlesex Beckenham, T20
Frid, July 6, Surrey Brit Oval, T20
Sun, July 8, Worcs New Road, LVCC
Sat, July 14, Leicestershire Grace Road, Pro40
Fri, July 20, Warwickshire Canterbury, LVCC
Wed, July 25, Yorkshire Scarborough, LVCC
Sun, July 29, Derbyshire Chesterfield, Pro40
Wed, Aug 8, Surrey Canterbury, LVCC
Sun, Aug 12, Durham Canterbury, Pro40
Tue, Aug 14, Warwickshire Edgbaston, LVCC
Tue, Aug 21, Worcs Canterbury, LVCC
Sun, Aug 26, Middlesex Lord’s, Pro40
Mon, Aug 27, Somerset Canterbury, Pro40
Tue, Aug 28, Lancashire Canterbury, LVCC
Tue, Sept 4, Surrey Canterbury, Pro40
Fri, Sept 7, Glamorgan Cardiff, Pro40
Sun, Sept 9, Yorkshir e Canterbury, Pro40
Tue, Sept 11, Hampshire Rose Bowl, LVCC
Wed, Sept 19, Durham Canterbury, LVCC

* Key:

LVCC: Liverpool Victoria County Championship
Trophy: Knock-out Trophy
T20: Twenty20
Pro40: NatWest Pro40 National League