Exclusive by Glenn Pearson

Former Australian Test players Dean Jones and Geoff Lawson are among a group of more than 50 to have applied for Kent’s vacant head coach vacancy.

Jones and Lawson top the pile of an impressive list which also includes former Sri Lanka coach Trevor Bayliss, ex-Kent cricketers Min Patel and Alan Wells and the county’s former director of cricket, Graham Ford (pictured). Nottinghamshire assistant coach Wayne Noon and Sussex coach Mark Davis have also applied.

Interest in the role from such high-profile names will go down well with the club’s membership who are keen to see a big name coach help bring some stability to matters on the pitch after two difficult seasons.

Lawson and Bayliss bring Test experience having coached Pakistan and Sri Lanka respectively, while Ford, who has also coached at international level with South Africa, is no stranger to the county having performed the role of director of cricket at St Lawrence from 2004 to 2009.

Jones, who is also in the running to be the next Pakistan coach, might be a favourable choice due to his no-nonsense approach but while he made 52 Test and 164 one-day international appearances for Australia, his lack of coaching experience might count against him.

Kent’s chief executive, Jamie Clifford, who would not be drawn on the identity of any of the applicants, said he was pleased with the number and quality of the candidates.

He said: "Fifty applicants gives us something to work with. The real challenge comes in whittling it down. I met with our cricket working group which consists of Graham Johnson, Rob Key and Simon Willis on Friday and we started to talk through the process. It’s a big decision."