Kent have made one change to the 12-man squad for their first home game of the season against Leicestershire, starting on Sunday.
Despite a disappointing, heavy defeat at Worcestershire in their opening game of the season, head coach Jimmy Adams and captain Rob Key have kept faith with the majority of the same side that were named for that game, with Charlie Hartley again expected to take on the 12th man duties.
However, England spinner James Tredwell has been rested to allow Adam Riley to come into the side, with Head Coach Jimmy Adams explaining the decision:
“We have decided to give Treddy some time away from the spotlight of first-team cricket to concentrate on some technical modifications as he re adjusts to Championship cricket after a winter of ODIs and T20s.”
“At the same time we are happy to have young Adam Riley who is bowling well in the team for tomorrow’s game,’ stated Adams.
Sam Billings keeps his place as wicket-keeper, despite Geraint Jones’ unbeaten century for a combined Kent and Northants 2nd XI against Warwickshire 2nd XI earlier this week.
Kent slumped to a 152-run defeat against Worcestershire in their first LV= County Championship Division Two match of 2014, despite holding a first-innings lead of five runs, and debutant Doug Bollinger taking 5-43 in the home side’s second innings.
Daniel Bell-Drummond (61) and Ben Harmison (55) made hard-fought, obdurate fifties in Kent’s first innings, although Brendan Nash was the top scorer in Kent’s second knock, despite the fact he made just 28, as his side were bowled out for 140 before lunch on the final day.
The game will be Leicestershire’s first County Championship encounter of the season; their scheduled opening game against Derbyshire having been postponed following the tragic accident involving their opponents Derbyshire’s wicket-keeper Tom Poynton and his father Keith.
Like Kent, Leicestershire will be looking for improvements this year after a disappointing campaign in 2013; the visitors having failed to win a single Championship game last season; drawing and losing eight each.
Their squad could feature a familiar face for Kent fans, with Charlie Shreck expected to be named in the side, a man who spent the last two seasons at Canterbury as a Kent player. Shreck was in fact Kent’s leading wicket-taker in four-day cricket last season, picking up 33 victims at an average of 39.21.
Former Kent wicket-keeper Niall O’Brien is another in the Leicestershire squad, having played at Canterbury between 2004 and 2006.
Kent bowler Robbie Joseph, meanwhile, will be a familiar face for visiting fans. Joseph played for Leicestershire in 2011 following his release from Kent, before resigning at The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence shortly before Kent’s opening Championship encounter last week. Kent all-rounder Darren Stevens is, of course, a former Leicestershire man as well.
The game gets underway at The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence on Sunday; a venue where Kent have avoided defeat in their last six home Championship matches against Leicestershire; winning two and drawing four.
Kent squad to face Leicestershire: R Key (c), S Northeast, D Bell-Drummond, B Nash, B Harmison, D Stevens, S Billings (wk), A Riley, M Claydon, D Bollinger, R Joseph, C Hartley.
Leicestershire squad to face Kent: G Smith, M Boyce, A Robson, N Eckersley, R Sarwan (c), J Cobb, N O’Brien (wk), B Raine, J Naik, R Taylor, A Ireland, C Shreck, N Buck