Darren Stevens says he’s excited by the 2014 season, not just because he’s free to play but because of the potential for the club to compete on all fronts this season.

Six weeks ago Stevens was cleared of wrongdoing in an ICC probe into match-fixing in the Bangladesh Premier League last year, seeing him avoid a global ban of up to five years and leaving him available for Kent this summer.

Stevens swept the board at the end-of-season awards last year but says he is already in good nick this term, despite lengthy spells away from the game over the winter.

He said: “Batting wise I feel like I’m hitting it as good as I have done in a long time. That’s a bonus because I’ve stayed away from the game a bit. It’s given me a bit of a breather.

“We all want as many hundreds and wickets as we can get but the main thing for me this year is to stay fit.The big goal, though, is to compete for the championship and try to get a one-day comp. We’re capable of that – looking at the side we’ve got, we’ve got a great mix.

“The youngsters are another year older and more experienced. It’s great to have an overseas from the start, that’s a positive for us, the club finances were positive too.

“The rest of it looks brilliant. We’ve made a couple of good signings, Mitch Claydon and David Griffiths bring some extra pace and character. I’m excited. I am because of
what’s gone on for me but I am excited for lads and the club because we’ve got potential in all forms.”