ONLY 11 months ago Nottinghamshire lifted the 2005 championship title with victory over Kent in Canterbury.

But Rob Key’s side travel to this year’s reverse fixture, starting at Trent Bridge on Tuesday, with The Outlaws deep in relegation trouble.

This season Stephen Fleming’s side find themselves at the other end of the table, next-to-bottom with two wins from 12 starts, and in need of eight points to overhaul Durham in seventh.

In short, Kent appear safe while Nottinghamshire will be desperate for victory, all of which seems likely to test the resolve and stamina of a Kent side who have already spent a week on the road.

Min Patel appears to have shaken off the back spasms that affected his performance in the rain-ruined draw at Leeds, which makes it likely Kent will name an unchanged side in the East Midlands.

Nottinghamshire look set to include former St Lawrence favourite Mark Ealham for Kent’s penultimate four-day away trip of the season.

Kent from: Fulton, Key, van Jaarsveld, Walker, Stevens, Bravo, Jones, Henderson, Khan, Patel, Cook, Denly, Tredwell, Dexter.