KENT'S injured skipper David Fulton is relieved to be out of hospital and looking forward to a time when he can strap on the pads and face the world's quickest bowlers again (Mark Pennell writes).

Fulton is recovering after a solid plastic training ball, fired at 90mph from a bowling machine, squeezed through the grille of his batting helmet to hit him flush in the right eye.

The pre-season training accident left Fulton facing emergency surgery to repair a torn tear duct and split eyelid. Earlier this week the county captain had over 30 stitches removed from his wounds.

Fulton said: "I have to sit up at 45 degrees. I'm not allowed any quick movement and bending down is banned. My girlfriend, Claudine Tomlin, has been brilliant. She's having to wait on me hand and foot, so it's not all bad news."

Recalling his accident in the St Lawrence nets on April 11, Fulton added: "Obviously details are a little sketchy when you get shook up like that. But I can tell you that when a ball hits you in the eye with such force it burns like hell and you do tend to fear the worst.

"I was lucky that our physiotherapist Martyn Sigley was on hand and treating me with cold, damp towels and ice within two minutes of it happening. After that it was straight round to K&C accident emergency and they wasted no time in sending me to Ashford.

"I really did get the quickest possible attention by the best people available and I'm very thankful for that."

Clearly, the road to full fitness may yet be a fairly lengthy one for the 31-year politics graduate who, in spite of the accident, harbours no fear over combating quick bowling in future.

"It's a case of getting back onto the horse as quickly as possible," added Fulton. "I really don't think I'll have any problems when it comes to batting and getting stuck in against the quick bowlers again."