Darren Stevens believes this year’s Friends Provident t20 competition, which starts next week, could be one of the toughest yet.

The 33-year-old Kent all-rounder, named most valuable player in last season’s tournament, has emerged as a stand-out performer in the shortest form of the game as the county aim to reach finals day for the fourth year running.

Stevens (pictured) said: "Lots of counties have made big overseas signings and it’s going to be tough but, I’m sure, exciting."

Stevens blasted 77 off 51 balls in the seven-wicket semi-final defeat by Somerset at Edgbaston last year, the highlight of one of Kent’s poorest displays in the competition.

He hit the winning runs two years earlier when Spitfires won the cup on the same ground.

This season the 18 counties are split into two groups, with matches played between championship cricket.

Kent face Essex at Chelmsford in their opening game on Wednesday and play Hampshire in Southampton the following night, before going straight into a four-day game against Nottinghamshire at Tunbridge Wells.

They begin their home campaign against Sussex, also at The Nevill, on June 9 with Middlesex visiting Canterbury two days later.

While other counties have invested in big money names, including Surrey recruiting former Kent star Andrew Symonds, Spitfires will rely on Sri Lanka’s Malinga Bandara.

Kent, meanwhile, face Scotland in the Clydesdale Bank 40 competition at Canterbury on Monday (1.45pm).