KENT skipper David Fulton says he expects to keep his hand firmly on the club’s Twenty20 Cup tiller this year in order to avoid last season’s dismal on-field performances and dressing room shenanigans.

Fulton controversially stood down from the Cup captaincy in 2004 and delegated the helm to Aussie Andrew Symonds who led the Spitfires to just two wins in their five qualifiers.

Kent supporters rounded on Fulton following his temporary abdication, but the club skipper says he will think long and hard before agreeing to step aside ever again.

"I said at our members’ forum last autumn that, with hindsight, I should have played in the Twenty20 and I stand by that,” said Fulton ahead of this year’s eight southern group qualification matches.

"Even if I’d batted at 11 I could have made a difference to last year’s side and their performances, but I will always do what I consider to be in the best interests of Kent cricket.

"If it’s in the best interests of the side for me to stand down as Twenty20 skipper then I wouldn’t hesitate to make that decision and I wouldn’t be afraid of doing it.

"But, after what happened last year, I would take a lot of persuading that my standing down would be the best course of action.

"I watched some of the things going on from the sidelines last year and I was left thinking what am I doing watching when this kind of stuff is costing us games.

"When five or six runs can decide the outcome of a Twenty20 match then getting the little things right is vital.

"I’m not saying I get everything right, but I’d like to think I get more calls right than wrong and that I can be of benefit to the team.

"I feel that with a bowling change here, or a tweak to the field-placings there I can make a difference in one-day cricket.

"I’ve also shown this year with my batting that I can come in somewhere in the middle order and make my presence felt with the bat as I did at Edgbaston."

Fulton has also had a re-think over his commentary engagements with Sky Sports and intends supporting his team-mates through thick and thin during this 2005 cup campaign.

He added: "I guess if we’d won the Twenty20 last year no one would have batted an eyelid about me not playing, but our performances were poor.

"And if I leave myself out this time around it will only be because I am convinced we won’t put in any more poor performances.

"Sky have asked me to commentate again this year and, when and where possible I will do that, but obviously not when Kent are playing.

"I held my hand up and said I should have been there supporting the guys last year.

"So I won’t commentate when Kent are playing because I fully expect to be playing a full part on the field."