IT HAS proved an appalling few days for Kent’s triumvirate of wicketkeepers.

At a county renowned for its rich history of producing a dynasty of international glovemen, these were seven days that Geraint Jones, Niall O’Brien and Paul Dixey will prefer to forget.

Jones took the major headlines after breaking his finger while batting in the Old Trafford Test win over Pakistan only to be summarily axed by the selectors just 48 hours later.

Meanwhile, agents acting for Jones’s understudy O’Brien were circulating his name among the 17 other first-class counties in a bid to find the Irishman a new club for 2007.

The 24-year-old from Dublin has played 38 first-class games for the county over the past three seasons but has been told he is not guaranteed a contract for next season.

The doubt surrounding Jones’s international future muddies the waters even further, leaving O’Brien with little but to put his name into the shop window.

He said: "I spoke with the club a while ago and they weren’t sure then if I might get a contract and the uncertainty now over Geraint’s position has just enforced their position that it’s impossible for them to make me an offer.

"At this stage of my career I don’t really want to be playing 2nd XI cricket."

To complete a poor week for Kentish back-stops, young Paul Dixey lost his place in the England Under-19 Test side playing in the series against India.