Skipper Chris Adams today backed his young batsmen to overcome the loss of Mike Yardy.

Carl Hopkinson and Chris Nash, who will both bat in the top three against Kent at Hove tomorrow, have only played 43 first-class matches between them and neither has yet lodged a century.

But with Yardy ruled out for four to six weeks after breaking his finger, the two Horsham players will have a key part to play in the early stages of Sussex's title defence.

Hopkinson will resume his opening partnership with Richard Montgomerie and Nash will come in first wicket down.

Adams said: "Our squad is definitely stronger than last season and guys like Nashy and Hoppo look ready to play and have good seasons.

"A lot of the guys seemed to have moved their games forward this winter including those two and as captain that is exciting.

"Losing Yards is a blow but we're still in good shape. I'm confident that everyone in our squad can do a job in the side. There are going to be some difficult selection issues this season because we could be leaving some quality players out at some stage."

Yardy's absence has solved a difficult selection dilemma for Adams who would have had to leave out one of Hopkinson, Montgomerie or Nash.

The rest of the side picks itself although a decision on Jason Lewry's participation will be left as late as possible.

Lewry has not played any cricket in pre-season because of a virus but he worked hard at Lord's earlier this week while his team-mates were playing MCC.

He said: "I'm desperate not to miss any Championship cricket so I have been doing everything I can to put my name in the hat for tomorrow.

"I think I can play without having any warm-up games but (coach) Mark Robinson might feel differently. I'm going to practise again today and we'll see where we are after that."

Sussex's meeting with their traditional rivals, whom they meet again at Canterbury in a fortnight, is given added spice by the return of Yasir Arafat.

The 25-year-old was an hugely effective replacement for Rana Naved as Sussex's second overseas player last season with 41 Championship wickets in eight games including nine in two matches against Kent.

He also played an important role in Sussex's C&G Trophy final win over Lancashire, joint top-scoring with 37 and taking 1-24.

Sussex were already committed to Rana for this season contractually otherwise they would have re-signed Arafat, who was a member of Pakistan's World Cup squad.

He was coveted by several counties and revealed how he sought the views of his former team-mates before opting to move to Canterbury.

He said: "I was only with Sussex for three months as cover for Rana but it was a nice club to be around.

"It was Amjad Khan who first approached me and told me Kent were interested but I spoke to Mushy and a lot of the other Sussex players about where I should go.

"There was interest from Middlesex and Yorkshire but they said Kent was the best place to go.

"The coaches have already helped me a lot and the captain Rob Key has made things easy for me and made me feel really welcome."

In the Championship game at Hove last July, Arafat picked up five first-innings wickets and bowled 14 overs unchanged at one stage - urged on by Mushtaq from the boundary's edge.

"Mushtaq was not playing because of his neck injury but he was still encouraging me.

After every over he was telling me have one more, one more. The ball was reversing and it was very hot but I really enjoyed myself."

Arafat is likely to share the new ball with Kent's other new recruit, South African Ryan McLaren. The 24-yearold, who has joined as a Kolpak registration, was top scorer in the South African domestic competition last winter with 54 wickets.

Rana only returned to Hove yesterday. He took 2-104 from 27 overs for Punjab against Khan Research Laboratories in his first first-class match of the year last week.