Kent League Premier Division champions Hartley Country Club have a new captain but the same positive ethos which has brought them so much success in recent years.

Dan Stickels has taken over from Andy Tutt, the former Tenterden and St Lawrence batsman having scored almost 3,000 Kent League runs in five seasons with the club.

Family commitments have prompted Tutt to stand down and Stickels knows the outgoing skipper leaves big shoes to fill.

He said: "It’s going to be different with no Tutty around.

"He’s done it well for the time I’ve been there and we’ve won four titles with him.

"His circumstances in life have changed, he’s got another child but he’s still heavily involved and I speak to him every day.

"This is my sixth season so I’ve been at the club for a while. It’s something (the captaincy) I’ve always wanted to do.

"I’ve played Premier League cricket for 10 years or so and this was a good time to take it on."

Hartley’s overseas player this year is Calvin Savage, a bowling all-rounder from South Africa.

James Cramp has returned to Hartley after three seasons with Bromley Common, while the club have also recruited bowler Jamie Hemphrey – younger brother of Australia-based professional Charlie – from Hythe.

Stickels said: "Those boys have got the talent and the ability, it’s just putting it all together.

"We are everyone’s cup final to a degree. If we play to our potential and can string it across the whole season, I guess we will be the team to beat.

"But there are three or four other good sides and we respect that. Blackheath are normally strong and Lordswood, Sevenoaks and possibly Beckenham will be there or thereabouts.

"I don’t believe in the fear of failure. You should go out there and if you want to bowl quick, you bowl quick, and if you want to turn it sideways, turn it sideways.

"I’m a big believer in that. One thing we’ve always done well is allowed people to do what they want to do and that’s important.

"It’ll be exactly the same moving forward."

Read our comprehensive Kent Cricket League preview in your KM paper this week.