Kent have made three changes to their 12-man squad for their County Championship game away at Leicestershire, starting tomorrow.

Sam Northeast has earned a recall, while youngsters Charlie Hartley and Imran Qayyum are both named in the 12-man squad, with at least one of them set to make their First Class debut – right-arm seamer Hartley the man likely to make his bow.

Qayyum is a 21-year-old slow-left arm orthodox bowler who has been a regular feature of the Kent Second XI so far this season, while Hartley, who has also impressing for the second team, made his professional debut in Kent’s 50-over game against the Sri Lankans earlier in the season.

20-year-old Hartley impressed in his maiden first team appearance for Kent that day as he took figures of 1-53 from his 10 overs, taking the notable scalp of Mahela Jayawardene along the way, and has regularly been seen on 12th man duty for Kent in first-team cricket throughout the season.

Doug Bollinger, Robbie Joseph and Fabian Cowdrey all make way from the XI who comfortably beat Derbyshire in Kent’s last Championship game.

Northeast is brought back into the frame in place of Cowdrey, the 24-year-old club vice-captain having proved his credentials by registering scores of 135, 93, 120 and 102 in the Second XI since being dropped after a poor run of form earlier in the season.

Cowdrey, who was brought in in his place, has failed to make a meaningful impression in Championship cricket so far, registering scores of 9,9 and 14 in the three innings he has played.

Overseas signing Bollinger’s absence from the side is somewhat enforced, as he continues to be plagued by the sore shoulder that ruled him out of Kent’s last two T20 games. He is, however, understood to be on the mend and should hopefully be back in first team contention before too long.

Mitch Claydon, rested for the Derbyshire win, is set to return to the starting XI against Leicestershire.

Speaking about the squad he had selected, Kent Head Coach Jimmy Adams said: “We played very well against Derbyshire and came away with a justified win. I hope that we will continue that with another good display up in Leicestershire.

“Doug Bollinger is still suffering with a sore shoulder so Charlie Hartley comes into the squad while Sam Northeast and Mitch Claydon also return.”

Kent go into the game on the back of two heavy T20 defeats in the last week, but having picked up their second Championship win of the season in their last four-day game.

Derbyshire were demolished inside three days as Kent picked up a ten-wicket win at Canterbury; Daniel Bell-Drummond hitting his maiden County Championship century, and Darren Stevens and Adam Riley starring with the ball, taking match figures of 9-89 and 7-118 respectively.

Leicestershire are the only Division Two side yet to register a victory in four-day cricket so far this season, and played out a draw with Kent when the sides met at The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence in a rain-affected game in April.

Their squad features a number of faces that will appear familiar to Kent fans. Right-arm seamer Charlie Shreck spent the 2012 and 2013 seasons at Canterbury, finishing as the club’s leading wicket-taker in the Championship in both years.

The 36-year-old has taken 22 Championship wickets for his new side this season, and has even enjoyed a breakthrough with the bat, making his maiden career half-century in Leicestershire’s defeat against Surrey at The Oval in June.

The 12-man squad named by the hosts also features former-Kent wicket-keeper Niall O’Brien, set to take up the gloves for Leicestershire tomorrow.

Kent’s County Championship game with Leicestershire starts at Grace Road, Leicester, at 11am on Monday.

 

Leicestershire squad to face Kent: Boyce, Robson, Smith, Eckersley, Cobb, Redfern, O’Brien†, Taylor, Raine, Naik, Buck, Shreck

Kent squad to face Leicestershire: Bell-Drummond, Key*, Northeast, Nash, Harmison, Stevens, Billings†, Ball, Claydon, Riley, Hartley, Qayyum