Kent head coach Matt Walker hopes experienced batsmen Daniel Bell-Drummond and Joe Denly already have one eye on their T20 Blast opener

Experienced duo Daniel Bell-Drummond and Joe Denly should use time out of Kent’s first-team squad to get ready for their T20 Blast campaign, according to head coach Matt Walker.

Bell-Drummond, 29, has been replaced in Kent’s side by in-form batsman Tawanda Muyeye for their County Championship Division 1 clash against Hampshire at Canterbury, which starts today.

Denly also remains out of the squad.

Kent then have one more red-ball game to play against Surrey next week before attention swiftly switches to the Spitfires’ T20 opener on May 24 against Gloucestershire.

Walker hopes the out-of-favour pair already have one eye on getting ready for the shortest format.

“It’s always disappointing when you’re not playing for the first-team - everyone wants to be here,” said Walker.

“We have a deep batting squad this year. It always looked like one or two senior players will be playing second-team cricket at points this season. We’re in that situation.

“Those two guys have got time to really prepare for what’s coming with the T20s.

“They’re two of our best players in that format, they have been for a number of years. Hopefully, they will play well in that competition.

“As we move through the season, inevitably, they will score runs for the second-team. We want our senior players playing well.

“At the moment, unfortunately, we have lost a couple of games. It’s not panic stations but, when someone is doing it in the second-team, it’s hard to ignore.

"It’s a reminder there’s people pushing for your first-team place.”

Muyeye, 22, has earned a recall through some fine early-summer form.

Walker said: “He has pretty much scored five hundreds in a row - with three hundreds, a 97 and a 92 not out. That’s what banging the door down looks