KENT skipper David Fulton is upbeat about the cricket’s latest limited overs’ competition, the Twenty20 Cup (Mark Pennell writes).

Though Fulton looks set to miss the zonal games with his fractured thumb, he remains excited by the prospect of the competition. He said: "Twenty20 is best suited to the big-hitting powerful all-rounder rather than the skinny, non-bowling opening bat who wants to field at first slip.

"You might say it’s designed for the likes of Andrew Symonds rather than the likes of me. But I am looking forward to the outrageous shots, brilliant catches and run-outs. More than anything it’s going to be fun"

Kent will play five southern zonal matches, two on home soil at Beckenham and in Canterbury, and three away games in the space of eight days.

Their zonal fixtures are: Kent v Hampshire (Beckenham) Monday, June 16 (5.30pm start); Middlesex v Kent (Richmond) Thursday, June 19 (5.30pm start); Essex v Kent (Chelmsford) Friday, June 20 (Floodlit 7.30pm start); Kent v Surrey (Canterbury) Monday, June 23 (5.35pm start); Sussex v Kent (Hove) Tuesday, June 24 (Floodlit 7.30pm start).

The Surrey game will be televised live by Sky Sports. Zonal match tickets cost £10 for adults and £5 for under-16s and concessions and floodlit games are scheduled for 10.15 finishes.

The top teams from each of the three zonal groups (South, Midlands Wales and West, and the North) plus the best second-placed team will progress to finals day on Saturday, July 19 in Nottingham when semi-finals and the final will be played.

Zonal matches have no reserve days, but finals day at Trent Bridge has one reserve day.

The other captains in Kent’s Twenty20 Cup Southern Zonal group have a wide range of views on the first new competition to hit county cricket in over 20 years.

Chris Adams, who has twice led Sussex to victory against Kent in the county championship this season, said: "Twenty20 cricket promises excitement and great entertainment both on and off the pitch.

"The public likes to see high scores, not wickets tumbling, and the format of this competition should give them want they want."

Surrey Lions skipper and former England one-day captain Adam Hollioake, said: "We’re all looking forward to the challenge here and it will interesting to watch how tactics and techniques develop as we get into the competition.

"From a personal point of view, I’m one of the lucky few captains around because I shouldn’t need to change my game or that of my team too much at all."

Hampshire Hawks skipper and former England batsman, John Crawley, echoed Fulton’s sentiments. He said: "Twenty20 is about fun. Fun for spectators and players alike. There will be fierce competition out there on the middle and the anticipation is huge.

"I’m looking forward to seeing my lads Dimitri Mascarenhas, Wasim Akram and Robin Smith swinging hard at the ball. Bring it on I say."

True to MCC tradition, the captain of Lord’s-based Middlesex, Andrew Strauss, was a little more reserved in his review. He commented: "I'm sure it will prove a great success both in bringing new people to see cricket and helping players develop their games.

"I'm not sure my bowlers will be looking too closely at their bowling figures though"

Essex Eagles skipper Ronnie Irani, who looks forward to taking on Kent under the new Chelmsford floodlights, said: "When we were first told they were introducing Twenty20 some of the younger lads thought it was some new pass grade they had to pass.

"Jon Dakin thought it was a new fitness concept introduced by our physiotherapist, the Yorkshire boys thought it was a nutritious cereal bar and Nasser Hussain thought we were using George Benson’s classic of the same name as our new theme tune.

"As it turns out, it's going to be a brand new cup - and we want to win it."