KENT’S county cricketers were reporting back for pre-season training today at the Buckmore Park Sports complex at Chatham.

Only Rob Key, on tour with the ECB National Academy side in Sri Lanka, and overseas player Andrew Symonds, who is part of Australia’s World Cup squad competing in South Africa, were missing as the players started their fitness works ahead of the 2003 campaign.

Under the leadership of skipper David Fulton, coach Ian Brayshaw and academy director Simon Willis, the players will be put through their paces over the next three days at various sporting disciplines.

Today’s schedule started with a timed, two-mile run, followed by the ECB’s fitness schedules known to the players as the dreaded ‘bleep tests’.

Later in the week the county's squad will be testing stamina in the swimming pool and sharpening reflexes with hand-eye co-ordination sports like squash, table tennis and badminton.

The work should stand Fulton and Co in good stead for their pre-season friendlies, which start in just over a fortnight.

Pre-season fixtures: Thursday, April 3 and Friday, April 4: Sussex v Kent (Hove). Monday, April 7: Kent v Surrey (Canterbury), Thursday April 10 and Friday, April 11: Kent v Gloucestershire (Canterbury). Monday, April 14: Old Kent v Kent. Wednesday, April 16: Kent v Kent Cricket Board (Canterbury). Friday, April 18 to April 20: Cambridge University v Kent (Fenner’s)