Kent all-rounder Darren Stevens has been ruled out of their first home County Championship game of the season with a knee injury.

The former Leicestershire man, who turned 37 today, will miss the four day game at the St Lawrence Ground in Canterbury, his first game he has missed through injury in over three years.

Stevens place in the Kent squad goes to Calum Haggett who is expected to start the game after impressing in the opening game of the season away to Leicestershire.

Meanwhile, Alex Blake has been drafted into the 12 man squad at the expense of Ashley Shaw who continues to build up his fitness levels after missing much of the past few seasons with shin splints.

With the likes of Rob Key, Brendan Nash and Geraint Jones all in form, Kent will be looking for their first win of the season against a strong Northamptonshire side having drawn their two opening fixtures of the new season.

Northants are expected to name the same side that beat Gloucestershire by seven wickets last week with Olly Stone set to be twelfth man in the 12 man travelling party.

The game will see the return of South African all-rounder Andrew Hall to the St Lawrence Ground having spent a couple of seasons with Kent between 2005 and 2007.

Play gets underway at 11am on Wednesday with ticket information available from www.kentcricket.co.uk

Kent’s 12 man squad: Rob Key, Sam Northeast, Brendan Nash, Michael Powell, Daniel Bell-Drummond, Geraint Jones, Calum Haggett, James Tredwell, Matt Coles, Mark Davies, Charlie Shreck, Alex Blake.

Northamptonshire’s 12 man squad: Stephen Peters, Kyle Coetzer, David Sales, Alex Wakely, Rob Newton, Andrew Hall, James Middlebrook, David Murphy, Steven Crook, David Willey, Trent Copeland, Olly Stone.