Kent chief executive Jamie Clifford could not hide his excitement at the ‘opportunities presented’ with the release of the fixtures for the 2014 season.

The domestic game has been given a reshuffle with almost all LV= County Championship Games beginning on Sundays, most NatWest t20 Blast games being played under lights on Fridays and the 50-over Royal London Cup games being played during the school holidays.

Mr Clifford said: “I am really excited. I have been irritated in the past when things have been implemented which keep cricket away from people who wanted to watch it.

“This schedule, with all the Sunday and evening games, plus three Bank Holidays which is a quirk of the calendar, increases the number of opportunities that regular working people, people who work 9-5, five-days-a-week, the majority of the population, to come to games.

“We’re going from maybe four or five opportunities over the course of the season to 19 which is tremendously exciting, plus we have t20 spread throughout the season too, rather than in a block.”

Kent begin their Division 2 campaign against Worcestershire at New Road on Sunday, April 13, with their first home fixture the following Sunday against Leicestershire at The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence, and newly-relegated Surrey visiting seven days later.

The touring Sri Lankan side visit for a floodlit game on Friday, May 16, while the following Friday evening Kent’s first t20 of the new season sees them travel to face Somerset at Taunton. The last t20 of the group stage is against Surrey at Canterbury on July 25.

Worcestershire are the visitors for Tunbridge Wells Week in late-May while Hampshire will provide the opposition during Canterbury Cricket Week in August, with Sussex and Middlesex one-dayers either side of the four-day game.

Mr Clifford revealed there was ‘definitely the feeling that Rob Key’s batteries have been recharged’ after his return as skipper, while discussions were ongoing about the potential for a pre-season overseas tour.

Mr Clifford added: “We are looking at options, that is all. Things are not perhaps as tight as they previously have been, but we must remain sensible and strategic.”

Kent's 2014 fixtures

Mon Apr 7 Loughborough MCCU Canterbury UNI

Sun Apr 13 Worcestershire New Road LVCC 2

Sun Apr 20 Leicestershire Canterbury LVCC 2

Sun May 4 Surrey Canterbury LVCC 2

Sun May 11 Derbyshire Derby LVCC 2

Fri May 16 Sri Lanka (F) Canterbury TOM

Sun May 18 Gloucestershire Bristol LVCC 2

Fri May 23 Somerset Taunton T20

Sun May 25 Worcestershire Tunbridge Wells LVCC 2

Fri May 30 Gloucestershire TBC T20

Thur Jun 5 Hampshire (F) Ageas Bowl

Fri Jun 6 Middlesex (F) Canterbury T20

Sat Jun 7 Essex Canterbury LVCC 2

Wed Jun 11 Essex (F) Canterbury T20

Fri Jun 13 Glamorgan (F) SWALEC Stadium T20

Sun Jun 15 Glamorgan SWALEC Stadium LVCC 2

Fri Jun 20 Sussex (F) Canterbury T20

Sun Jun 22 Derbyshire Canterbury LVCC 2

Fri Jun 27 Gloucestershire Bristol T20

Wed Jul 2 Surrey (F) Kia Oval T20

Fri Jul 4 Hampshire (F) Canterbury T20

Mon Jul 7 Leicestershire Grace Road LVCC 2

Fri Jul 11 Sussex (F) Hove T20

Sat Jul 12 Essex Colchester T20

Fri Jul 18 Somerset (F) Canterbury T20

Sun Jul 20 Surrey Guildford LVCC 2

Fri Jul 25 Surrey (F) Canterbury T20

Tue Jul 29 Durham (F) Canterbury 50L

Thu Jul 31 Somerset Taunton 50L

Fri Aug 1-Sun Aug 3 T20 quarter-final

Tue Aug 5 Surrey (F) Kia Oval 50L

Wed Aug 6 Glamorgan (F) Canterbury 50L

Fri Aug 8 Nottinghamshire (F) Trent Bridge 50L

Sun Aug 10 Warwickshire TBC 50L

Wed Aug 13 Sussex (F) Canterbury 50L

Fri Aug 15 Hampshire Canterbury LVCC 2

Wed Aug 20 Middlesex (F) Canterbury 50L

Sun Aug 31 Glamorgan Canterbury LVCC

Tue Sep 9 Essex Chelmsford LVCC 2

Mon Sep 15 Hampshire Ageas Bowl LVCC 2

Tue Sep 23 Gloucestershire Canterbury LVCC 2

Key: LCVV 2 = LV= County Championship Division 2; 50L = Royal London One-Day Cup; T20 = NatWest T20 Blast; TOM = Tour Match.