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Rookie Ollie Robinson is poised to keep wicket for Kent in their opening County Championship Division 1 game against Somerset at Taunton on Friday.
The 20-year-old has been given the nod over the more experienced Adam Rouse, who is not included in the 13-man squad.
Sidcup-born Robinson was given his championship debut against Leicestershire at Grace Road last summer and has made just four First-Class appearances.
He and Rouse both played in the two-day warm-up game against Sussex at Hove, as well as the three-day fixture against Loughborough MCCU at Canterbury.
Rouse failed to score in either of his knocks, while right-hander Robinson, playing as a specialist batsman, made three against Sussex and 21 against Loughborough, coming in at seven.
A product of Kent's Academy Robinson had a knock of 251 for the under-17s in 2016. He made his senior Kent debut in their final match of the Regional Super50 in the West Indies in 2017, against the Windies under-19s.
The former Chislehurst and Sidcup Grammar School pupil was named in the England under-19 squad for a series of matches against India under-19s and again against South Africa the following summer.
Kent will be led at Taunton by interim captain Heino Kuhn fresh from helping the Multiply Titans win South Africa’s domestic One Day Cup competition at the weekend.
Australian Matt Renshaw is set to make his debut against the county he impressed for in last season’s County Championship, when he averaged 51.30 in 10 matches.
He is likely to bat at three, with Kuhn at four and vice-captain Daniel Bell-Drummond at five. Zak Crawley and Sean Dickson – who made an unbeaten century against Loughborough – will open.
Alex Blake is included after making a century in the warm-up game against Sussex and there could be debuts for new bowling duo Fred Klaassen and Matt Milnes. Adam Riley offers the spin option but there is no place for the injured Grant Stewart.
Skipper Sam Billings and vice-captain Joe Denly are away playing in the Indian Premier League.
Squad: Heino Kuhn (captain), Daniel Bell-Drummond (vice captain), Alex Blake, Mitchell Claydon, Zak Crawley, Sean Dickson, Fred Klaassen, Matt Milnes, Harry Podmore, Matt Renshaw, Adam Riley, Ollie Robinson, Darren Stevens.
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