Sussex v Kent

KENT will be hoping to start their LV Championship four-day campaign with an impressive performance against reigning champions Sussex in Hove from Wednesday.

Other than the injured Amjad Khan and overseas star Andrew Hall, who remains on World Cup duty with South Africa, Kent skipper Rob Key has a full squad at his disposal and is hopeful of catch Chris Adams’s side cold.

Looking ahead to the clash, Key said: "It's the one time in the season that we might catch them a little ring rusty.

"Mushy (Mushtaq Ahmed) won't have done a lot of bowling as yet and he and Rana Naved, who only flew in this week, may still be finding their feet.

"Michael Yardy is also out with a broken finger and we've had trouble getting him out in the last couple of years, so if anything, these early games may yet work in our favour."

Key looks set to pick Joe Denly as his new opening partner to replace former skipper David Fulton, who retired at the end of last season.

England wicketkeeper Geraint Jones returns to the county ranks to bat at No6, while Kolpak signing Ryan McLaren and overseas all-rounder Yasir Arafat stand by for county debuts.

For Arafat the match represents a quick home coming, the Pakistan player helped Sussex clinch the 2006 title as stand-in overseas professional for Naved.

The hosts seem likely to give a full debut to Chris Liddle, the left-arm seamer they signed from Leicestershire in the close season.

Kent from: Key, Denly, van Jaarsveld, Walker, Stevens, Jones, Arafat, McLaren, Joseph, Patel, Cook, Saggers, Tredwell.

* Keep up to date with all the developments at Hove with Mark Pennell's match reports, online at the close of play each day.