Head Coach Jimmy Adams believes the young prospects at Kent Cricket have the potential to come good and win silverware this season.

With the new season to start in earnest this weekend, as Kent head to Chelmsford to face Essex in the season opener of the County Championship, fans will be hoping this campaign is the one that sees the Kent young guns come good and challenge in all formats of the game.

Homegrown talents Joe Denly and Matt Coles have made a return to the county where they came through the system in the winter, bolstering a largely homegrown squad with fourteen of the twenty three players having featured in Kent’s age groups.

Both players will compliment the experience already in the squad with the likes of Rob Key and Darren Stevens to shoulder the burden of encouraging young talents such as Sam Billings, Daniel Bell-Drummond and Fabian Cowdrey.

So much about cricket is realising the potential from a talented squad and for former West Indies batsman, Jimmy Adams, this is the year that could see Kent challenge for titles:

“We have got the nucleus of a very good squad here and although it’s unlikely that we will have an overseas signing, I believe we have got what it takes to go one further than last year.”

“The guys are all a year older, a year wiser and they have developed as cricketers and as human beings. If they all play to their potential, there is no reason why we can’t do something special.”

“We’ve got exciting young talents with Sam Billings having been linked with playing for England, but it’s not all about one man as we have a team of talented individuals.”

“We are rightly proud to have James Tredwell out in the West Indies playing for England and there are five or six in the squad that could quite easily go on and play international cricket, either for the first time or resume their international careers.”

Despite not having an overseas signing, Adams feels there are more than enough quality players in the Kent squad to fill the void:

“Getting both Joe Denly and Matt Coles back is like signing two overseas signings as Joe has played for England and Matt is one of the most talented bowlers in the country.”

“If we get the best out of both of them, we won’t be worrying about why we haven’t had an overseas and in a way it could be a good thing for Kent Cricket as we will be giving opportunities to local lads.”

“We have got competition for places throughout the squad now and on paper we should be challenging, but there is a long way to go before the end of the season and we must make sure we start with a competitive appearance against Essex.”

One of the major advantages of having a largely homegrown squad is that fans will be able to identify with their local stars and Adams is hoping the fans come out in their numbers when Kent are playing within the county:

“We’ve got some fantastic fixtures to come throughout the season and it’s nice that we get to play cricket all across the county in fantastic grounds such as Tubridge Wells and Beckenham as well as Canterbury.”

“It’s important that we take cricket to all corners of the county, so as we inspire the next generation of cricketers as they could be the life blood of the team in many years to come.”