Kent will get their 2022 home season underway on Thursday when they host Lancashire at the Spitfire Ground.

The Vitality Blast champions haven’t played a competitive home game since they chased down 372 against Middlesex to win Division Three last year, but it was almost an asterisk-marked achievement after originally being seeded third in the whole competition.

Matt Walker’s side have been backed by many to struggle this year but got off to a decent start away to Essex last week, taking 12 points from a draw in a match that featured five centuries, over 1000 runs, and awful conditions.

Jordan Cox enjoyed a positive start to life in the middle order for Kent’s red ball team with a fantastic 129, matching the score of debutant opener Ben Compton, who already looks a shrewd winter signing.

Seamer Nathan Gilchrist picked up four wickets in the match, with Australian Jackson Bird picking up three and Matt Quinn two.

There were also 50s with the bat for Tawanda Muyeye, Darren Stevens, Matt Milnes and Bird.

The Canterbury pitch promises to offer a different challenge, as will Lancashire, who will be itching to get into the season after a bye last week. 

England’s all-time leading wicket taker Jimmy Anderson is being rested for the game, but the Red Rose’s squad is set to feature a number of other internationally capped players. 

Last season Lancashire defeated Kent by an innings and five runs in Canterbury, with Parkinson taking seven wickets in the third innings.

The team, captained by Dane Vilas, are the bookies’ favourites to win the Championship, and finished second in Division One last year, so the match will be a difficult one for Kent. 

The Spitfires will again be without captain and vice captain Sam Billings and Jack Leaning, who are missing through IPL duty and injury respectively.

Overseas star George Linde is also not yet fit, whilst Joe Denly picked up a hamstring injury against Essex and misses out. 

England star Zak Crawley returns however after missing the draw at Essex, with wicketkeeper Ollie Robinson set to continue as captain. 

Kent squad to face Lancashire: Ollie Robinson (C), Daniel Bell-Drummond, Jackson Bird, Ben Compton, Jordan Cox, Zak Crawley, Nathan Gilchrist, Matt Milnes, Tawanda Muyeye, Hamid Qadri, Matt Quinn, Darren Stevens, Grant Stewart.

Pakistan quick Hasan Ali is set to make his Lancashire debut.

Lancashire squad: Dane Vilas*, Hassan Ali, Tom Bailey, George Balderson, Jack Blatherwick, Josh Bohannon, Steven Croft, Rob Jones, Danny Lamb, Matt Parkinson, Phil Salt+, Luke Wells, Luke Wood.

Tickets are available for every day of the match, or a live stream will be available to watch for free via the Kent website and YouTube channel.