Darren Stevens was thrilled with his career-best nine-wicket performance to kick-off the season in Kent’s 57-run win over Essex at Chelmsford - his only regret was that he couldn’t take one more.

Stevens grabbed 6-60 in 27 overs in Essex’s first innings and weighed in with 3-76 in the second innings on the penultimate day.

The all-rounder said: "I had a good vibe straight away, in the first couple of balls it started to nip and I hit my lengths early. I felt like something would happen.

"To get (England stars Alastair) Cook and (Ravi) Bopara that first evening got everyone really excited, they were the ones we really wanted."

Stevens claimed his only disappointment from an encouraging victory was that his feat will not be immortalised at the St Lawrence Ground.

He said: "I’ve had a couple of four-fers before, my best was something like 4-30, but I’ve never had a five-for in four day cricket - so to get six was fantastic.

"I was thinking about getting 10 for the match to get my name on the board, but I got hit on the toe by a ball coming straight back at me on the last morning and I wasn’t able to get that last one, which was a bit disappointing, but I’m glad Robbie Joseph finished it for us."

The former Leicestershire star said it felt unusual to have kicked off the season so early.

He added: "The start of the season has come round very quickly. A few years ago if you said we’d be playing on April the 8th nobody would have believed you. It would have been too wet and too cold, people would have said, but to be fair we just had a fantastic four days.

"It was good to get up and running, especially with a performance like that.

"It’s by the far the best pre-season I’ve had and it’s the first points we’ve taken in April for a long time.

"People were saying we’ll struggle to take 10 wickets in an innings without any firepower, but we showed we have got some. It was great to see RJ back on the field for us."

Picture: Darren Stevens is in jubilant mood after taking one of his wickets against Essex - by Nick Wood (www.unshaken-photography.co.uk)