KENT County Cricket Club chairman Carl Openshaw has defended the club's decision not to offer a new contract to wicketkeeper Paul Nixon.

The former England A tourist was one of five players to be cut from the county squad last month - a decision that appeared to shock Kent's players and supporters alike.

However, in response to Nixon's allegations of cost cutting and poor man management, Mr Openshaw has explained the club's reasoning.

"I can fully understand Paul's disappointment and frustration at the news because he's had an excellent season and has always given 100 per cent to the club," he said.

"This was a very difficult decision for our cricket committee to take, certainly the hardest of my time in office, but this arose because we are fortunate enough to have a very fine wicketkeeper batsman in Geraint Jones coming through the ranks.

"You can only play one wicketkeeper in a side and had we retained Paul it was very unlikely we would have been able to keep Geraint."

Another player to be axed in the post-season cull, Martin McCague, believes five cuts have been made to the squad to help finance a second overseas player for 2003.

But Mr Openshaw insists that the basis for Nixon's release surrounded cricketing issues, not finances and certainly not as a costing measure toward a second overseas professional.

"Quite clearly we have difficult financial circumstances for cricket and we have to budget within those circumstances, but this was a cricket decision made by our cricket committee," he added.

"It was made as being the best for Kent in the future and is no reflection of Paul's commitment for Kent. Kent were not one of the voices in favour of two overseas players and as yet we may or may not get an overseas player for 2003.

"We will look into the market place and see what's right for us at the right time. We have our options open, one of which would be to have a second overseas player for a given period of the season at a much lower cost.

"We are not short on cricketing wisdom on our cricket committee and we also have the business knowledge necessary, but that doesn't stop you from having to make difficult decisions."