Captain Sam Northeast says two exciting overseas signings in a week shows Kent are going places and claimed: “It’s time to turn talent into trophies.”

On Tuesday, New Zealand opener Tom Latham, 23, joined 20-year-old South African paceman Kagiso Rabada in agreeing a deal at the Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence, this summer.

With England’s Sam Billings and Lions star Daniel Bell-Drummond to add to the mix, captain Northeast, 26, says Kent’s young nucleus can challenge on three fronts this summer.

He said: “I think the signings send a message out to people that we are going places. It’s time for our younger players to get away from the ‘talented’ tag and start to win things.

“We don’t want success in a year or two, we want to win things now and start by getting promotion this season and making some finals. These two guys fit right into that.”

He added: “We maybe went under the radar a bit in (making the quarter-finals in) T20 last year, I’m not sure that’s going to happen again this season. Perhaps teams will not be looking at us in the same light.”

Northeast – back in the UK after a spell playing in Brisbane for the Sunshine Coast Scorchers – said he and coach Jimmy Adams expected a good deal of competition for places this spring and hopes it leads to a rise in standards.

He said: “In pre-season we can have a look at everyone. There are places up for grabs.

“We want to get some early momentum, particularly in the four-day game. We have been labelled a one-day team but I don’t see it like that. We have a lot of talented players in the squad.

“We have a large squad now and we’re looking at people to kick-on from where they were last year. If we want to win competitions, we’ll have to go up a notch and that’s what we want to do - go up a level.”

Northeast also claims it was a bonus for Kent for James Tredwell available this spring.

He said: “I’m sure he would have been in the discussion for England’s World T20 side.

“I see him a lot and for me he was the standout spinner in T20 last year and should be there but the fact he’s with us early in the season is a bonus for us.”