ENGLAND’S deposed wicketkeeper Geraint Jones was back amongst the runs as Kent started their pre-season fixtures with two emphatic wins over Nottinghamshire in Canterbury over the Easter weekend.

In their opening two-day game, Kent responded to Nottinghamshire’s Thursday total of 406 for seven with a score of 435 for nine on Good Friday.

Samit Patel top-scored for Nottinghamshire with 133 off 149 balls while Robbie Joseph bagged three for 77 and Martin Saggers two for 64 in his comeback match.

Kent cruised past the Nottinghamshire score courtesy of a 107-ball century with 20 fours by Darren Stevens. There were also half centuries from former Kent Academy students Paul Dixey (50 retired) and Alex Blake (63), as well as a vital unbeaten 63 with 14 fours from Joe Denly.

Then, on Saturday, Jones hit a magnificent unbeaten 115 to see the hosts to a nine-wicket win with 31-balls to spare over the Outlaws in a 50-over challenge game.

Bilal Shafayat and Chris Read joint top-scored for Nottinghamshire in their total of 251 all out as Robbie Joseph (3-50) and another Academy graduate Warren Lee (3-47) ripped the heart out of the visiting batting.

Martin van Jaarsveld (69 not out) and Stevens (57) gave the hosts a flying start and Jones continued the good work, moving to his century from 125 balls as Kent passed the finish line in the 45th over.