KENT'S professional and amateur cricketers begin their challenge for the 2002 Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy on Wednesday with a brace of third round ties.

The county's club players representing the Kent Cricket Board, have reached this stage of the event for the fourth time and will again take on Hampshire.

The sides met previously in 2000 and 1999 when Hampshire recorded reasonably comfortable wins, but this time around KCB will fancy their chances of an upset at the Cheriton Road Ground in Folkestone.

Skippered by Sevenoaks Vine batsman Shami Iqbal, the son of former Kent and Pakistan all-rounder Asif, the KCB will hope local knowledge overcomes a vastly experienced Hampshire side skipper by former England batsman Robin Smith.

Should KCB pull off a giant-killing win their reward is likely to be a trip to play cup holders Somerset in the fourth round on Tuesday, June 18 or Wednesday 19.

Meanwhile, Kent's county side under the leadership of Matthew Fleming, will be heading to East Anglia next Wednesday to take on minor counties' side Norfolk at their new headquarters ground Manor Park.

Norfolk qualified for the third round by beating Holland and have since recruited former England left-arm seamer Paul Taylor from Northamptonshire and ex-Derbyshire professional Paul Newman.

Kent will be at full-strength for the tie. Victory would secure them a home tie in round four against the winners of Wednesday's local derby clash between Warwickshire and Staffordshire.