Kent all-rounder Darren Stevens believes the side are just starting to show what they are capable of and wants more of the same.

Sunday afternoon’s eight wicket win over the Surrey Lions in the Twenty 20 game at Beckenham underlined the quality that is in the current Kent side, as they continued their fine run that has seen them beaten just the once all season.

Stevens epitomises the quality that Kent possess and his unbeaten 43 from just 25 balls included four mammoth sixes and showed the near on 4,000 crowd at Beckenham what a talent he is.

The former Leicestershire man suits Twenty 20 to a tee and Stevens told KSN how he loved the thrills and spills the shorter format provides, but was full of praise for Spitfires skipper Rob Key:

“It’s Twenty 20, you get a buzz, the adrenalin starts running, but you try and keep as calm as you can. My aim against Surrey was to get in, get off strike and give it to Keysey to hit as he is in form.”

“He looks good at the minute, but I’ve got to say I will take the credit as I gave him one of my bats. That 250 he got a couple of years ago was with one of my bats too!”

“To be fair though, he is great nick and is showing what a class act he is. He knocked it around against Surrey, took the right bowlers on and knocked them around when he needed to.”

“In Twenty 20, it’s important you play the ball on merit and if it’s in the area that I’ve been practicing a lot of, I will back myself to hit wherever.”

“At this time of year, it’s a special time. Thousands of people turn out and I see it as a challenge and I thrive on it. I’ve worked hard on my strengths and my weaknesses.”

Stevens was pleased to have been given the chance to get out and show what he could do at Beckenham as he hadn’t had much of a chance this season:

“I think I’ve had thirteen knocks all year and it’s nearly the end of June. We’ve not had the best of weather, but hopefully that’s behind us now and we can look forward to some good games ahead.”

“That starts against Essex on Wednesday night and that’ll be a big game, but I think we’ve got a good record there. Over the last few years we’ve turned them over there, but they have got a fine side and if they all play well, they’ll be hard to beat.”

“Saying that, I think if we continue to do what we’ve been doing, the boys are in a good place and the new boys have all done well. The youngsters have all come in and done well too, so I think we’re in a good place at the minute and as long as we keep our feet on the ground, we’ll do alright.”

“If you look at this Southern division, every game we play is like playing a final. All the teams in our group are class acts.”

With England now qualified for the Quarter Finals of the European Championships, Stevens admitted he was getting into the football, but may have to watch what he wears in future:

“I went out and bought my first England shirt the other day along with Barrie Dyer who runs the club shop. I forgot to put it on, on Friday night and we were doing alright and as soon as I put it on we conceded two goals, so my Mrs told me take it off and we won, so I don’t think I’ll be wearing it again!”

The Kent Spitfires have named a 13 man squad to play Essex on Wednesday night: Rob Key, Sam Billings, Azhar Mahmood, Darren Stevens, Brendan Nash, Sam Northeast, Geraint Jones, James Tredwell, Matt Coles, Mark Davies, Adam Ball, Simon Cook, Chris Piesley.