KENT'S club captain Matthew Fleming has described the team's pre-season training in South Africa as an unmitigated success. Fleming and the county squad report back for net practice at the St Lawrence ground in Canterbury this week having spent a fruitful fortnight in Port Elizabeth.

"We played two inter-club matches and two against South African State and club sides," said the former England all-rounder. "All the batsmen scored runs at one-stage or another and you can only beat the opposition put in front of you and we did that pretty comprehensively in the first game and slightly less so in match two.

"Ed Smith scored an excellent hundred, Matthew Walker a couple of good 50s, then Amjad Khan bowled outstandingly on a slow pitch.

"All the players would say they have come back ready to play some good cricket and ready to make the most of the next two weeks by putting the finishing touches to pre-season. We have gone to step one well, which is the bonus of going to South Africa because you can be sure of the good weather."

Fleming also believes the trip was excellent in terms of team bonding and getting to know the club's new director of coaching, former Australian Sheffield Shield winner Ian Brayshaw.

"If you take Min and myself out of the equation, it is a very young Kent squad and it was good for them to take time away, talk cricket, practice hard and work hard on their fitness," stressed Fleming.

"Ian already had the trust and respect of those players who were in Perth with him this winter, but this has given all the other players a chance to see how he works," he added.

"It's also given Dave a chance to start exerting his influence over the side and explaining to people how he wants them to operate around him. I took more of a back seat and Dave came through it all very well indeed."

The players to come out of the trip with distinction in Fleming's opinion were four of the younger fringe players. "Dave Masters has had a very good winter and at one stage we had to tell him to stop working for fear of burn out, but he looks right back to his best which is great for him and us," he said.

"Ian Brayshaw and Dennis Lillee have worked wonders with Amjad and he's almost unrecognisable as a bowler. He bowled quickly and accurately on slow wickets.

"Off-spinner James Tredwell looks to have really improved and Geraint Jones's batting and wicketkeeping has come on enormously. Those four stood out."