KENT have re-appointed Robert Key as their captain for next season.

Key had a successful campaign in charge last year when the county won the Twenty20 Trophy and maintained their LV County Championship Division 1 status.

He said: "I am delighted to be given the chance to captain the club again in 2008.

"We made good progress in 2007 and I believe we have the players to do even better next season.

"We will be announcing exciting new additions to the squad shortly with a view to building further on the success achieved last year."

Kent's fixtures for 2008 were announced today (Wednesday).

The Championship season opens on Wednesday, April 16 with Nottinghamshire the visitors to Canterbury.

The first fixture in the Friends Provident Trophy follows with a visit by Essex Eagles on Sunday, April 20.

Spitfires begin the defence of their Twenty20 title on Wednesday, June 11 with a visit to Canterbury by the Sussex Sharks.

The club will host the visiting New Zealand tourists in a 3-Day match starting on Monday, April 28.

Full Kent fixtures list in this week's Kent Messenger, Kentish Gazette and Medway Messenger