Batsman Daniel Bell-Drummond will return to the Kent side as they begin their County Championship game against Lancashire on Wednesday.

The 19 year old is preferred in the squad ahead of Calum Haggett who is playing for the combined Essex/Kent Second XI this week.

Bell-Drummond was unlucky to miss out on selection for Kent’s opening County Championship match of the season against Leicestershire last week with Haggett drafted into the squad as Darren Stevens had a niggle that prevented him from bowling much,

Now fully recovered, Stevens will drop back down the batting order to number six with Bell-Drummond expected to occupy the number five berth in the side.

As for Lancashire, they will include England seamer James Anderson for the game at Old Trafford with Australian Simon Katich and South African Ashwell Prince included in their thirteen man squad.

Despite their inclusion, Kent batsman Mike Powell believes there is nothing to fear for Kent who should concentrate on their own game:

“Lancashire are a big club and it was a surprise to most that they came down the year after winning the first division title. I don’t follow other teams that closely but I think they struggled for runs.”

“However, we can’t read too much into that. They are a big club and have made one or two signings. Things will quickly turn things around and they will expect to go straight back up but we will hope to put a spanner in their works by playing well at Old Trafford.”

“They’re a very successful side and have quality throughout. England’s Jimmy Anderson is coming back into the fold for this game so we will have to play very well to get any kind of result.”
Team news:

Kent: Key, Northeast, Nash, Powell, Bell-Drummond, Stevens, Jones (WK), Tredwell, Coles, Davies, Shreck, Shaw.

Lancashire: Chapple (C), Anderson, Brown, Croft, Cross (WK), Horton, Katich, Kerrigan, Hogg, Prince, Procter, Smith, White.

Picture supplied by www.sarahansellphotography.com