Life is full of twists and turns and that has certainly been the case for Kent Cricket since the start of the season.

Going into the new campaign, there was once again a real sense of optimism at the now Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence with fans expecting the best, but fearing the worst.

With a new skipper at the helm in James Tredwell, Kent fans were of the belief that all could suddenly be different, but the realism has dawned on the faithful after just a couple of months.

Financial pressures have seen less new faces come to Canterbury than had been hoped for and as a result, results have suffered.

Fate has conspired against Kent once again though, with the weather handing the side less than favourable conditions with more time lost due to precipitation.

As time has gone by, the sides’ County Championship form has suffered with that much sought after win still to be found.

However, there could well have been a turning point in the past week. Faced with seeing his side play out yet another draw, stand-in skipper Geraint Jones took the bull by the horns and did something brave at The Ageas Bowl.

With the game seemingly meandering to a draw, Jones took the bold decision to declare with his side over a hundred runs in arrears after the first innings to try and move the game along.

It could have been a move that spectacularly backfired and it almost did. But for the heroics from Calum Haggett and Adam Riley at the end of the fourth day, Kent could have slipped to yet another defeat.

The battling display from the tenth wicket partnership could well turn out to be the turning point in Kent’s season and they should gain a lot of confidence from keeping Hampshire at bay in their own backyard.

With six slips keeping them company and a new ball whistling past their earholes, Haggett and Riley showed all the spirit required to help Kent turn the corner and that promises much for the future.

No one is suggesting Kent are suddenly going to turn into world beaters overnight, but there is a sense that the side are going in the right direction.

Jimmy Adams and co. are doing things the right way by encouraging the products of the Academy to flourish in the first team given the opportunity.

With the likes of Mark Davies injured, veteran batsman Mike Powell given a rest and skipper James Tredwell away on England duty, the squad looks a little stretched, but with that comes opportunities for the likes of Haggett and Riley.

The latter showed how he is a real star for the future by taking 7-150 in Hampshire’s first innings, proving Kent have a more than able deputy to stand in for Tredwell.

Daniel Bell-Drummond is being given a chance to show he is a future England batsman by filling the problem number three slot, whilst Ben Harmison is showing some of the early promise that followed his move from Durham in the winter of 2012.

An overseas signing is looking less and less likely for Kent with finances tighter than ever, but with that has to come a positive for the likes of Adam Ball and Sam Billings who are yet to force their way into County Championship contention.

Along with Alex Blake, these youngsters are the future of Kent cricket and will be the core of the side for years to come. On their day, they are a real force to be reckoned with and they’ll only ever get the experience required by playing games.

On Tuesday morning Kent announced that they had drafted in Durham seamer Mitchell Claydon on loan for the next month and he will undoubtedly go straight into the squad to face Glamorgan at Canterbury this week.

Whether he will have the same effect as loan signings such as David Balcombe remains to be seen, but could turn out to be a real masterstroke if he shows the appetite to impress.

Meanwhile, Darren Stevens is currently playing a real quality game without earning the recognition that he has deserved over the years. His brisk 96 against Hampshire last week will hopefully be the taste of things to come from the former Leicestershire all-rounder.

There’s a saying that floats around Canterbury at times like these – keep the faith and that has never been more poignant than now.

The natives could soon become restless if things don’t improve on the pitch, but for the side to achieve great things, they need the support of the locals.

Jones’ brave move last week may well just be the template for the future for Kent. What’s the point of playing out a boring draw when you’re near the bottom of the Second Division?

It could be a case of win or bust over the next few months as Kent look to pull off a miracle and claim a shock promotion.

One thing is for sure, life is rarely ever dull when you’re a Kent fan.