Captain Rob Key will sit out Kent’s LV= County Championship Division Two game with Glamorgan at the Spitfire Ground, Canterbury, starting tomorrow, to give the former England man time to focus on his batting.
Key, whose next first-class innings will be his 500th, has a highest score of 34 in six Championship knocks this term. Fellow batsman Sam Northeast will lead the side in his absence.
Head coach Jimmy Adams said: "Rob has elected to spend some time away from first-team cricket in order to focus on his batting."
James Tredwell is set to make his first appearance of the season for Kent after returning from England’s tour of the West Indies. Also, the hosts have recalled Fabian Cowdrey and Calum Haggett to their squad.
Glamorgan have lost Andy Carter, who has been recalled from his loan spell by Nottinghamshire.
Hashim Amla will make his debut for his fourth English county, following Essex, Nottinghamshire and Surrey, when Derbyshire host Northamptonshire at the 3aaa County Ground.
Derbyshire signed the South Africa Test skipper on a short-term deal to team up with their captain Wayne Madsen, a former Proteas under-19 team-mate.
Northants are second in the Division Two table and Derbyshire third. Derbyshire have only won once in 18 Championship matches against Northants since 2002.
Tony Palladino and Tom Taylor are set to return after being rested for their rain-affected draw against Glamorgan.
Northants are expected to name an unchanged team, with David Willey missing a second consecutive Championship match after making his England debut in Ireland to ensure his freshness for their NatWest T20 Blast opener at Durham next Friday.
Peter Siddle will make the last of his four appearances for Lancashire, who take on Gloucestershire at Emirates Old Trafford, before linking up with Australia for the summer. Lancashire remain 15 points clear at the top of the Division Two table despite being held to a draw in Northampton, and are still missing their captain Tom Smith with a back problem.
His predecessor Glen Chapple, who has joined Ashley Giles’s coaching staff, had been planning to make his first appearance of the season at Leicester next week in place of Siddle, but is now doubtful for that game after breaking a finger in fielding practice.
Gloucestershire’s coach Richard Dawson was thrilled by the performance of all his bowlers as they claimed a first win of the season at Essex, and has kept the same XI in his travelling squad.
Chris Tremlett is set to make his first Championship appearance of the season for Surrey, who play Leicestershire at the Kia Oval, after missing their first two matches with a hamstring problem.
But Jade Dernbach will be out for at least six weeks with the side injury he suffered in their last game against Glamorgan.
Jason Roy and Zafar Ansari will be available after their trip to Ireland with England, and Leicestershire expect to include their Ireland wicketkeeper Niall O’Brien – whose brother Kevin will also join the county this week for the NatWest T20 Blast.
LV= County Championship Division One facts
Kent v Glamorgan
Glamorgan have lost one of their last eight against Kent (won four, drawn three), after failing to win any of the preceding eight clashes (drawn four, lost four).
Sam Northeast has hit four tons and five half-centuries in his last 17 Championship innings.
Graham Wagg needs two wickets to reach 350 in first-class cricket; Dean Cosker needs five to reach 600.
Mitchell Claydon needs one wicket to reach 200 first-class wickets.
Derbyshire v Northamptonshire
Northamptonshire have lost one of their last 18 against Derbyshire (won six, drawn 11).
Northamptonshire have won the toss in five of their last six visits to Derby.
Steven Crook has scored 436 runs in his last six Championship innings; he hit 148 in his preceding 15 knocks.
Graham Napier (51.7%) is the only player with a lower dot ball percentage than Crook (53.1%) this season, 100-plus runs scored.
Tony Palladino has conceded boundaries from 3.1% of balls bowled this season, the lowest percentage of anyone delivering at least 10 overs.
Lancashire v Gloucestershire
Seven of the last eight meetings between these teams have been drawn. Lancashire won the other match.
Gloucestershire have won once in 18 visits to Old Trafford since 1965 (lost five, drawn 12).
Liam Norwell needs one wicket to reach 100 first-class wickets. Ten of his 99 came against Essex last week.
Ashwell Prince has scored 1,060 runs in his last 16 Championship innings, at an average of 70.7.
91% of Peter Siddle’s wickets this season have been top six batsmen, the joint-highest proportion.
Surrey v Leicestershire
Surrey have lost one of their last 19 against Leicestershire (won nine, drawn nine).
Leicestershire have won the toss in eight of the last nine clashes between these teams.
Mark Cosgrove needs 12 runs to reach 10,000 in first-class cricket.
Rory Burns needs 80 runs to reach 3,000 first-class runs.
Gareth Batty needs two wickets for 550 first-class victims.