TO DIVISION 1 IS KENT’S PRIORITY

Matt Walker admits Kent’s priority this season will be to win promotion back to the top-flight of the Specsavers County Championship.

Kent have not played in Division 1 since 2010 when new head coach Walker played against the county for Essex.

They fell just short of the sole promotion place last season – finishing second to Essex – and then unsuccessfully contested the ECB’S decision to reprieve Hampshire from relegation after the news that Durham were being demoted from the top flight as a penalty for a financial bail-out.

Kent have reached the knockout stages of both white-ball competitions in recent years and Walker insisted: “I want to be competitive across all formats.”

However, he added: “When you have a group of multi-talented players, it’s hard to pinpoint a priority but probably, if we are honest, the priority is to get up to Division 1.

“That’s where every county wants to be. There is a gulf now, certainly in terms of the eyes and minds of selectors. There is a perception that there’s a gap and Division 2 is inferior.

“I can’t have that. There are still good cricketers playing in Division 2. The stronger teams are in Division 1 and there’s a higher level of consistent skill but that’s not to say there is not some good cricket in Division 2.

“All our players want to play in Division 1 to test themselves at the highest level. Understandably, I want to myself.

“Division 1 is key for us this year. We were close last year but it didn’t quite happen.

“We’ve got a good chance in T20 and 50-over cricket, too. We have the skills to be able to push that.

“We have threatened and been close over the past couple of seasons and we are not going to ignore those.” Walker claims the ‘block’ system of domestic cricket will lead to improved performances this summer, adding: “From a playing and coaching point of view, it’s great, although I guess members aren’t too thrilled. For chunks of the season we’re not going to see much Championship cricket.

“We love doing it but the season is brutal, there’s a lot of cricket. It’s been tough on players the past three or four years and unrealistic for players to perform to their best.

“You have a real mish-mash of fixtures

‘There is a perception that Division 2 is inferior’

and huge blocks of cricket, 18 or 19 days in a row, switching from 50-over to T20 to Championship and back. There’s no time to rest or to prepare properly. It’s crazy. There’s no way they can do it.”

He added: “This allows you to prepare specifically for a block of fixtures. You’ll see a better standard, players not fatigued and it will produce better cricket.”

Nearly two months into his new role, Walker said: “It’s been busy and pretty full-on, I’ve enjoyed it, it’s been great.

“What I do daily hasn’t changed much. I’m still working with players that I have worked with at Kent for the past two or three years.

“I guess the stuff that has changed is the admin stuff, dealing with agents, trying to think down the line about what we might need at various stages of the season and in terms of overseas players.”