The draw for the 2011 Clydesdale Bank 40 has taken place with the 21 teams drawn into three de-regionalised groups.

Kent are in Group A along with the Netherlands, Derbyshire, Worcestershire, Yorkshire, Sussex and Middlesex.

Kent head coach Paul Farbrace (pictured) said: “It's a pretty good outcome for us. The teams that we have been paired with are all beatable and Groups B and C certainly look tougher on paper with some real heavyweights included.

"I think our group in 2010 was tougher and we finished second, so hopefully we can go one better next season. The supporters will enjoy the trips to Hove and Lord’s and we don’t have anything to fear. The trip to Holland isn’t ideal, in terms of travel but they are beatable.”

The 18 First-Class Counties, Scotland, the Netherlands and the Unicorns, an ECB Recreational XI, will compete for the CB40 - the 40-over competition in top flight domestic cricket in 2011.

Three groups of seven are taking part with teams playing each other home and away. Group winners, and the best second placed team, will qualify for the semi-finals with the final taking place at Lord’s.

The groups are as follows. Group A: Netherlands, Derbyshire, Middlesex, Worcestershire, Sussex, Yorkshire, Kent.

Group B: Scotland, Hampshire, Durham, Northamptonshire, Warwickshire, Surrey, Leicestershire.

Group C: Unicorns, Nottinghamshire, Glamorgan, Gloucestershire, Essex, Somerset, Lancashire

Fixtures for the competition will be announced in due course along with the rest of the dates for the 2011 domestic season.