KENT'S acting skipper Min Patel passed a late fitness test on his niggling groin injury at Old Trafford today and elected to bat first after winning the toss against counterpart Mark Chilton.

On a bright yet breezy morning in Manchester, Patel also opted for a twin-spin attack against Lancashire by including off-spinner James Tredwell in the starting 11 for this four-day game.

With his pace options severely limited due to injuries to Amjad Khan (hamstring), Martin Saggers (heel) and David Stiff (knee), Patel elected to leave out rookie seamer Simon Cusden to include Tredwell.

Neil Dexter will open the batting in place of Rob Key, who is captaining England A in Worcester, while Geraint Jones bolsters the middle order on a rare non-international appearance.

The hosts, fresh from victory over Durham, were without James Anderson and Andrew Flintoff.

Kent: Fulton, Dexter, van Jaarsveld, Walker, Stevens, Kemp, Jones, Patel, Cook, Tredwell, Joseph.

* MARK PENNELL'S DAY ONE REPORT WILL APPEAR HERE AT THE CLOSE OF PLAY.