by Mark Stokes

Paul Farbrace has stressed the need for Kent to make a good start when they travel to Chelmsford to face Essex in their opening LV County Championship Division 2 game on Friday.

Bookmakers William Hill have Kent (9/2) third favourites to win promotion, behind Surrey (3/1) and Essex (4/1), and while director of cricket Farbrace believes they could be challengers, he says they can’t be left playing catch-up.

He said: "Notoriously we’ve been slow starters and, while I don’t like the term, it’s important that we hit the ground running and put in a good performance.

"If we do that, then the youngsters will take a lot of confidence. The young blokes need every bit of confidence to get going and even the senior boys, too."

He added: "Our aims this season are three-fold – to be challenging for promotion, to try to get to the quarter-finals of the T20 and for the so-called younger players to put in match-winning performances so they understand they are capable of winning games."

Farbrace (pictured) believes that if Kent can get their best 11 out often enough, they are good enough to challenge for promotion but he feels the shortest form of the game may offer their best chance of success as they rebuild this summer.

Darren Stevens (ankle) missed the final practice game against Sussex on Tuesday as a precaution but should be fit to play and bat at No.6 against Essex, with all-rounder Alex Blake at seven while Notts seamer Charlie Shreck could start after joining on a month's loan.