Kent v Somerset

Kent skipper Rob Key has asked his squad to prove their first-class credentials in Tunbridge Wells over the next four days where they are set to do battle with newly-promoted Somerset in an LV Championship clash at The Nevill.

Though Kent are enjoying a six-match winning streak, only one of those victories has come in the long form of the game and Key is keen to improve on that record once Festival Week action starts on Wednesday.

He said: "We were appalling in the first couple of games and I'd got to the stage when I was beginning to wonder what I was doing wrong, yet now we're in a bit of a purple patch.

"The instant you take your foot off the gas nowadays is the time you'll come unstuck though, so we must start putting some championship wins together as well.

"There's no way we should just be regarded as a good one-day side, we have a good squad for championship cricket and we need to start proving that."

In looking ahead to the clash, Key added: "It's only my second championship game of the summer. I missed one (Hove) with a virus and was away with the Lions side when we won last time out (Trent Bridge), so I'm quite looking forward to it.

"The boys are playing well at the minute with guys like Robbie Joseph doing a brilliant job for the club. I had to leave him out on Sunday, but he's bowling really well and would get into most county sides at the moment.

"This week's game will give me a chance to give someone like Robbie another opportunity and rest up someone else."

The two counties have not met in the championship since 2002, when Kent drew in Taunton and beat Somerset back in Canterbury by 153 runs, so Key admits they are now something of an unknown quantity.

He added: "I know they have some serious batters, but on the whole I prefer to look at what we need to do to beat them.

"Whatever our plans will be for them, I have to stick to our strengths as a side. Although we will sit down and work out some plans for their guys, I'm more determined to take our 'A Game' to the Nevill because a few of our lads won't have played there that often in the past."

Key, who returns to the side at the expense of Matt Walker, will rest Azhar Mahmood after he suffered another blow on his already injured right hand last weekend, ensuring a re-call for Joseph.

Amjad Khan, who is on the brink of re-selection having recovered from knee surgery, misses out though and will play this week's 2nd XI game at The Rose Bowl instead.

Kent: Key, Denly, van Jaarsveld, Kemp, Stevens, Jones, Tredwell, McLaren, Arafat, Joseph, Saggers.12th man: Alex Blake.