OPENING batsman David Fulton has spent much of the winter launching his benefit season, but in quieter moments he has also faced up to a cricketing life without the county captaincy.

The 34-year-old abdicated his four-year term of leadership at the end of a troubled 2005 campaign in which he lost his place in Kent’s one-day side and received criticism for setting up an improbable run chase deal with Nottinghamshire.

Seven months on, Fulton is refusing to dwell on the past, preferring instead to remain positive in his quest to remain at the top of the club’s championship batting order.

He said: "In some ways it has been nice to come to pre-season and concentrate on my game and fitness. You never quite stop thinking as a captain and I have found myself casting an eye on how other players are performing and shaping up, but first and foremost it’s about getting my game in order now.

"The rest is other people’s responsibility from here on and although I will support them to the best of my ability, the future is about David Fulton scoring a lot of runs."

As for his form and his roles in four-day and one-day cricket Fulton is keeping an open mind. Though determined to retain his championship place through pure weight of runs, he understands that a place in the limited overs side may be harder to win.

"The challenge for me is to make certain I’m in that championship side. If I’m able to do that, scoring plenty of runs and batting fluently then I will give myself an opportunity of forcing my way into the one-day side.

"It’s important if I’m to remain as a professional cricketer for years to come that I play both forms of the game and as I get older that becomes an increasing challenge."

In his own words Fulton was "poleaxed" after being struck in the right eye in a pre-season training accident in 2003, but he continues to fight the potentially career-threatening injury.

He said: "I’m confident over my eye and have been taking supplements and doing strengthening exercises. My catching has been strong and batting form is fine, but time will tell once I’ve spent a full day in the field in strong sunlight, that’s when my eyes do tend to get tired.

"The complications I had last year have settled down and my specialist tells me I’m fine now, though if things do deteriorate again a minor operation will sort me out."