Spinner Adam Riley is predicting an exciting season ahead for Kent Cricket with so many homegrown players in the squad.

Fourteen of the twenty three man playing squad have all come through the system at Kent with 23 year old Riley one of those that can profess to have been brought through the age groups within the county.

Having had a stand out season last summer, Riley could argualbly be one of the first names on the Kent teamsheet nowadays and kept England spinner James Tredwell out if the side in the County Championship with the the 33 year old having to join Sussex on loan to get regular cricket.

With Riley having earned a call up to the England Lions squad that toured South Africa in the winter and fresh from having played for the MCC in Abu Dhabi, Riley is being talked about in the media as a potential England star for the future and the Kent spinner admits it is quite flattering:

“It’s been a busy winter and I have spent more time overseas than I have at home. It’s been good to get some warm weather training and the Abu Dhabi trip was good as I got some good overs under my belt.”

“Training over there with some guys that have been in the England set up has helped me and having Alastair Cook there was useful.”

“Being able to pick the brains of international cricketers has been a great learning opportunity for me and spending time with them has helped my game.”

“The Lions trip was a different learning epxerience for me as I didn’t really get chance to bowl that many overs.”

“Going on the Lions trip has given me a taste of what it is like to be an international cricketer and made me want to work even harder. The long term aim is to do as well as I can for Kent, take as many wickets as I can and see where we go from there.”

“Everyone will want to be involved in the Ashes this summer and I’m no different and I have got aspirations to play international cricket, but at the same time I’m pretty realistic at my age and need to get as much experience as I can at county level.”

“If I keep doing that, I will have given myself every chance.”

Captain Rob Key wondered before Christmas as to how he was going to get both James Tredwell and Riley into the same side on a regular basis, but with the former out in the West Indies with England, that is a decision that can be taken at a later stage.

However, when Tredwell returns, there will be great competition for places at Kent and Riley is fully prepared to fight for his place in the side:

“I can take heart from the fact this time last year I started really well and took about twenty wickets in the first three games I played.”

“I know if I get the chance to bowl the overs in the early season, there are some wickets to be taken out there.”

“With Treddy going away with England to the West Indies it makes the selection headache a little easier, so it gives me a good chance to impress in the Championship.”

“I think people underestimate the usefullness of the power of spin on an early season, damp wicket. They do spin a little bit and where they are so slow, sometimes batsmen can go at you too hard and that’s where you get your wickets.”

“I remember the game last year against Surrey where they tried to come at me hard and I managed to pick up five wickets in the second innings.”

“There is an opportunity there for me to do a holding job whilst the seamers go at the other end, but there will be a chance to take wickets as well.”

With both Joe Denly and Matt Coles back at the club for second spells, there is a real Kent feel about the place and Riley is delighted to see some familiar faces back amongst the ranks:

“I think Matt Coles singing so late towards the start of the season almost feels like an overseas signing. We are getting a quality bowler in Matt Coles, we know what he can do and we just hope he gets it right as he can be really useful.”

“He bowled really well for Hampshire against us last year and if he can get used to the slope again, he can get lots of wickets for us.”

“Having Joe back is a quality batsman and he will give depth to our batting group. That’s somewhere where maybe we were a little light and had a lot of young batters last year.”

“Joe will bring his experience and competition for places and I am sure we will all be raring to go for that first Championship game.”

“It’s so nice to have so many Kent lads here now and this could be the season we could really do something special.”