KENT kick off their 2005 Frizzell County Championship campaign in Canterbury today with the return of prodigal son, Alex Loudon.

The 24-year-old, who left Kent in controversial circumstances after a successful debut season in 2004, is included in Warwickshire’s squad and seems certain to play after a knee injury ruled out Mark Wagh for three weeks.

The Bears also add wicketkeeper-batsman and former Kent target Tony Frost to their party for a game that would mark Loudon’s championship debut for his new club.

Kent have named a 13-man squad that includes both last season’s long-term injury doubts Martin Saggers and Min Patel.

It will be Saggers’ first championship start since last July, but the game also seems likely to feature Kent championship debuts for winter recruits Simon Cook, Darren Stevens and Martin van Jaarsveld.

Play starts at 11am on each of the four scheduled days through to Saturday.

Kent from: Fulton, Key, Jones, Van Jaarsveld, Walker, Stevens, Dennington, Cook, Patel, Khan, Saggers, Carberry and Cusden.