KENT'S director of coaching Graham Ford endured a sleepless Monday night in a bid to fly overseas all-rounder Andrew Hall into the UK ahead of Wednesday’s four-day clash with Yorkshire.

A premature end to this week’s third and final Test between South Africa and New Zealand left Ford with a task of re-scheduling flights for Hall who initially looked set to miss Kent’s Liverpool Victoria Championship match.

A reported 20 per cent over subscription on flights out of South Africa is not helping matters and at this stage Kent appear to have a real battle on their hands in getting their player into England on time.

Hall’s arrival would be a huge fillip for an injury ravaged Kent side fresh from suffering a three-day defeat in Manchester at the hands of Lancashire.

Pace bowlers Amjad Khan (hamstring), Martin Saggers (heel) and David Stiff (knee) are already among the long-term casualties and have been joined by Min Patel, who picked up a groin strain at Old Trafford, and the latest victim James Tredwell, who tore a quad muscle playing club cricket at the weekend.

It all leaves Ford with several issues yet to resolve and one huge selection headache ahead of Kent’s clash with newly-promoted Yorkshire starting in Canterbury tomorrow.

One bonus is that captain Rob Key returns after England A duty, but Geraint Jones has teamed up with the Test squad ahead of Thursday’s Lord’s clash with Sri Lanka, leaving understudy Niall O’Brien to take over behind the stumps.

Kent from: Fulton, Key, van Jaarsveld, Walker, Stevens, Dexter, Kemp, O’Brien, Cook, Joseph, Ferley, Hall, Dennington, Cusden.