Kent ready for action in 2010 Picture: Barry Goodwin

by Andrew Gidley

Paul Farbrace says lack of money should not stop the county being successful and is excited about the prospect of seeing homegrown talent play for Kent.

The 41-year-old former wicketkeeper, appointed as team director last year to replace Graham Ford after a spell as assistant coach with the Sri Lankan national side, said: "My aims are two-fold – to be involved in a successful side winning and challenging for trophies and the other is to produce our own players.

"I’m keen that the spine of the team is Kent-based, with the odd overseas player, and in some ways I’m quite excited by the fact that we haven’t got a lot of money to throw around because it means we have got to develop young players.

"Joe Denly, James Tredwell, Adam Ball, who has just signed a three-year contract, James Goodman, Alex Blake and Paul Dixey are players we have produced.

"It may be easy for me to say this in April and I may be clutching at straws in September but I believe we have a balance between good senior players and good youngsters."

Farbrace (pictured) is expecting big things from both Denly and Sam Northeast this summer, although he is reluctant to put too much pressure on the latter, starting his first full season of county cricket.

He said: "Joe has played for England but we are looking at him to get 1,000 runs in county cricket and for Sam, who
will bat at No.5 in the championship side, to score consistently.

"You can’t pin your hopes on one competition. Preparation has gone
well and we are in good shape."

Don’t miss our eight-page Kent County Cricket Club special supplement in this week’s Kent Messenger, Kentish Gazette, Kentish Express and Medway Messenger.