KENT’S cricket officials went onto the front foot to defend their policies in the face of stern interrogation from a disgruntled membership at Monday night’s annual meeting.

After a 2005 season that turned into Kent’s own "annus horribilis", county supporters demanded to know how the club sustained record losses of £310,000 and under-achieved on the field.

The meeting heard that almost half the losses were down to a budget overspend on players’ salaries and coaching costs totalling almost £160,000 while the majority of the remaining deficit was blamed on shortfalls on the catering franchise formerly held by Aramark.

Mr Dunning said: "We had an expert committee looking at tenders from expert companies in the catering field and the company they selected was one with a world-wide reputation and a high regard in this country."

Mr Dunning said the club had expected to recoup significant amounts through improved gate receipts and ECB compensation had Rob Key been selected by England.

He added: "As a management board our main priority is to field competitive cricket sides. Every year we have to make decisions over retaining playing and coaching staff and there is constant risk with those decisions, too."

Mr Dunning warned that although borrowing and budgets would be monitored carefully, he still expected the club to record further losses this year.

Club chairman Carl Openshaw said: "Some 16 of the 18 first-class counties have lost money at some stage in the last five years and several have lost money in each of the last five years."

The meeting, which lasted almost three hours, started with a minute’s silence in memory of club stalwarts Don Beney, Jimmy Allen and Tom Renne who all died during the year.

Derek Underwood was installed as president in succession to Richard Collins.

* FOR THE FULL STORY SEE THIS WEEK'S KENTISH GAZETTE.