KENT’S close-season signing Darren Stevens knew St Lawrence was the place for him as soon as he drove through the burgundy-painted wrought-iron gates.

Turning into the main drive of Kent’s Canterbury headquarters for his first net session at his new club, Stevens knew instinctively he had made the right move.

The 28-year-old capture from Leicestershire said: “We turned off the Old Dover Road and into the ground and I said I’m going to really enjoy driving in here each morning. I just had a great feeling about the place and got out of the car and went and stood out in the middle taking it all in.

“I have a thing on the first morning of a new match to go and stand out on the square and get a feel for a place and, not having been to Canterbury for a while, it was nice to do that here. It put a big smile on my face.”

Stevens, a former England Academy graduate and a long-listed member of the 2003 World Cup squad, admits his seven-year career at Leicestershire finished largely unfulfilled.

Indeed, he confirmed that the last two years of regime change had made life difficult for him at Grace Road.

“I was devastated when Leicestershire said they were releasing me because I really wasn’t expecting it,” added the right-hander from Hinckley. “Just a year before I’d signed a two-year contract after being told I was among a group of core players they planned to build around for the future.

“So being a home-grown player I was stunned to be told they were letting me go, I just sat up in the dressing room on my own for half-an-hour letting it sink in that 10 years of my life or more was over. I was messed up for a couple of days, wondering what I would do, where I might go, but I finally got my head around things.”

Stevens was courted by Nottinghamshire and Worcestershire as well as Kent this time, but also revealed he had turned down the advances of Lancashire before penning what transpired to be his last contract with Leicestershire.

Stevens said: “Lancashire would have been a good move, but that’s history now, and believe I’m coming to Kent at the right time. Leicestershire, during the Jack Birkenshaw years, was one big happy family and that’s exactly what Kent are trying to re-create under Simon Willis and David Fulton.

“The issues they had last season have been resolved now and there’s nothing to stop that from happening now. I’ve met a few of the players for the first time and straight away it feels right for me here.”

Stevens has played just four times at St Lawrence, once in championship cricket and in three other limited overs’ affairs, but each time the game has been memorable - which he believes played a part in his decision to come to Kent.

“My first championship game in Canterbury was the first match of 2003 when Paul Nixon and Geraint Jones both scored tons and I got 40-odd in our second innings to help get the draw.

“Then my first league game here was Steve Waugh’s debut match for Kent and the ground was packed out and buzzing. I was pleased to get a few runs because it was low-scoring affair and the ball was nibbling around.

“I had to bowl at Steve and was doing OK, I think Kent needed seven or eight an over by then, until he hit a low full-toss past me, over the tree, out the ground and lost the ball.

“But that’s indicative of playing here to me, and it’s no disrespect to Grace Road, but they always seem proper cricket games at Canterbury with a good, knowledgeable crowd.”

But if Stevens is to win over the Kent punters and claim his favoured number three batting berth vacated by Ed Smith’s departure to Middlesex, he knows he must improve on a first-class career average of 28.11.

“If I’ve one major fault I believe it’s that I’ve tried in the past to take on board too much advice from too many people,” said Stevens. "What I am trying to do now is take on things that work for me and to use them for my benefit. In the last five months I’ve figured what path I’m going to take and how I’m going to progress by working with people I trust.

“Getting away from Leicester can only be a good thing for me now, I’m positive about that, start afresh with knew knowledge, fresh input and that leaves me thrilled and excited.

“When I was deciding which club to chose I spoke to Trevor Ward, Paul Nixon, David Masters and Vinny Wells, and they all said Kent’s a great place to go. Every one of them said the wickets would suit my game and that moving here would do me the world of good.”