Joe Denly has been looking ahead to what will be his sixteenth season in Kent colours and possibly one of the most exciting.

The thirty-seven-year-old who has just signed a contract extension at Canterbury, goes into the new season as one of the more experienced members of a squad eagerly awaiting the start of the new season next week.

Denly has been reflecting on how there could be a new approach to the County game in 2023, one which began at the very top of the game.

“The way that the Test team is playing at the minute is for every County player is exciting,” he told KSN at the recent county media day, “and I think, you talk about the style that they playing – I think the message is quite clear about taking away that fear of failure and winning at all costs and taking that into games having the total backing of the coaches to go out and express yourself.”

“And if you are feeling tentative, always take the positive position and put it back on the opposition and I think more often than not you’ll come out on top and this England team is showing that,” Denly told us, “and yes… I would like to be playing in the team still!!!”

“When we go out wearing the Kent shirt, it’ll be entirely down to Walks (Matt Walker), but it must also be down to the individual to work out a method of how they want to approach it.”

“There’s going to be so many variables throughout the season – pitch conditions, the opposition that we’re up against – and I think there has to be a smartness attached to it as well, as it’s not just about going out and being positive and playing on the front foot, looking to hit fours and sixes.”

“There are going to be times where we’re going to need to soak up pressure. I’ve spoken to Zak (Crawley) about it and that’s what the England team do – they respect that when there’s a good period of play, they have to soak up the pressure and when they feel like they may have the upper hand, having smartness and awareness to take advantage of that, I think that us, as domestic cricketers, can hopefully improve on this year.”

“An Ashes summer is always special. It’s spoken about as it’s exciting for every English player who dreams of playing in an Ashes series – I was lucky enough to play in one myself and is an incredible time of year.”

“I will always remember the first ball bowled at Edgbaston – had goose bumps on my arms; the noise and the atmosphere in those games is quite incredible, so I’m sure a lot of the young English guys are hopeful of being part of that.”