ROUSING speeches from skipper David Fulton and new director of cricket Graham Ford gave a positive hue to the annual meeting of Kent County Cricket Club.

The meeting at the Ramada Resort Hotel in Hollingbourne heard a concerted and positively bullish message from the county’s top table as Kent aim to put the mixed fortunes of 2004 behind them.

Fresh from his six-week fitness camp in Australia, Fulton told members he would play in all forms of cricket this summer and asked them to get behind his side’s limited overs promotion bid.

"This year has to be about moving forward and not looking back," said the county’s opening batsman.

"We learned a lot of lessons in 2004, some of them quite harsh ones, and in some ways I feel it was a watershed season - I certainly hope so at least.

"In all my time at Kent I have never known a winter such as this when players, cricket committee and management have come together and worked so hard at trying to put things right and try to create a winning environment.

"We learned a lot from last September’s forum, which was heated in places but, with a lot of good input from people in this room, we have started to move forward.

"The appointment of Graham Ford is a big step in the right direction, but we’ve also made some huge signings in Simon Cook, Darren Stevens and our two South African lads Andrew Hall and Martin van Jaarsveld.

"They all come from winning cultures and will vastly improve our one-day set up."

Looking ahead to the forthcoming season Fulton said the players, who report for pre-season schedules on Monday, are looking fitter and happier than at any stage last summer.

He added: "As for 2005, it will be about commitment and attitude from us.

"We don’t know what we are going to produce in terms of performance but I can guarantee there will be nothing lacking in the attitude and commitment stakes.

"All I urge is that we look forward and work together, our players are the fittest I have ever seen them and relationships within the squad, which needed improving, are also as good as I’ve ever known.

"There’s always good momentum at this time of year and it’s important we carry it forward and do so with your support."

In his comprehensive powerpoint presentation, chairman of cricket Graham Johnson Johnson conveyed a similar messsage, urging members to forget last summer’s infighting and get behind cricket director Ford and his new-look squad.

"My summary of 2004 is that we had a pretty good year, there were issues that we have since sorted out, but I’d like to concentrate on what we learned out of last season and how we will move things forward," said the county’s chairman of cricket.

"Your cricket committee has spent the winter trying to create a winning environment at Kent and I hope that you’ll see evidence of that from tonight onwards.

"I would ask you in 2005 to talk the game up in Kent rather than focussing on the minor negatives of the past. We looked at the balance of our playing staff and needed to strengthen because we lost a couple of key players.

"With Simon Cook already on board, we backed our retained bowling squad and backed Geraint Jones and our two young understudy wicketkeepers, so we were left with two priorities on the overseas front.

"The number one priority was to get a good all-rounder to bat at six or seven and bowl seamers and that we have done in bringing Andrew Hall here.

"Second goal was to get a batsman and we have achieved that with the recent signing of Martin van Jaarsveld on a Kolpak basis.

"We believe we have a balance of staff capable of performing to the targets we set and reserve the right to tactically bring in a second overseas professional if we need to.

"There’s a nice symmetry to the squad with a lot of challenge for places, with batting competition and a blend of young and experienced bowlers in place to do the job."

In echoing the buoyant mood, former South Africa Test coach Ford, said: "I think you have seen tonight that you have a cricket committee that is very serious about its business and have shown great attention to detail.

"I am in the initial phase of my time at Kent and that is one of observing and assessing, so I won’t be making bold predictions or big promises here.

"What I can do is guarantee you that I will be giving the Kent cause 110 per cent commitment."

The meeting had started with a moment’s silence in honour of club president Brian Luckhurst who died from cancer, aged 66, on March 1.

In paying tribute to the former Kent and England batsman who served the club for 51 years, chairman Carl Openshaw said: "Sadly his health problems began just as he took over as president but with typical enthusiasm, determination and energy he continued to give enormous support, not only to the players, but to everyone involved with running the county.

"What an outstanding president he has been for Kent."

The annual meeting was to have been Mr Luckhurst’s last function in office and with typical diligence and forethought he pre-wrote his hand-over speech to this year’s president Richard Collins, the club’s honorary medical advisor for 25 years.

Reading Mr Luckhurst’s words, Mr Openshaw said: "It’s my great pleasure to introduce our president for 2005 but before doing so both Raye and I would like to thank you for the wonderful support you have given us over the past 12 months.

"I have had a bit of a health problem during the year but supported the team whenever possible, mainly at home matches but we did also get to four away games.

"Our 2005 president has been a devoted Kent supporter for over 25 years following his journey through the Dartford Tunnel to take a post at Kent and Canterbury Hospital and has been our medical advisor since the early 1980s.

"He is a wonderful charming man and one of the nicest men I have had the pleasure of meeting."

In accepting the presidency for 2005/06, Mr Collins said: "About 25 years ago it was Brian who, as then team manager, welcomed me into the dressing room and made me feel at ease with the players from that famous team of the 1970s.

"As a cricket-playing enthusiast these were god-like figures to me and it was a great privilege and pleasure to get to know them on a personal basis.

"Some 21 years ago the position as honorary medical advisor was formalised and I received a letter from Brian congratulating me, which I still have.

"Then it was 20 weeks ago that I had a telephone call from Brian inviting me to succeed him as president.

"He was a wonderful man and you will therefore realise that me assuming the presidency on the day of his funeral is a very poignant affair for us all.

"It’s been a long, cold and very hard winter in which we lost our lime tree and lost our beloved president.

"But there are tonight the beginnings of better things to come and a spirit of re-generation is abroad.

"I think tonight should be a turning point and we should start to look forward rather than dwell on the unseemly and unpleasant matters of the recent past."

Kent’s honorary treasurer Alister Dunning reported a modest profit of £5,548 for 2004 on an improved gross income of almost £3.7m.

Though marketing income has increased 100 per cent on a five year period and continues to excel, Mr Dunning described the club’s financial performance as ‘satisfactory’.

He said: "Given the pressure on cricket finances nationally and in a year without a one-day international at St Lawrence the overall financial outcome was satisfactory."

The results of the members’ ballot for general committee places were also announced with Graham Johnson (995), George Kennedy (783) and Chris Tavare (939) winning three-year terms while, at the third time of trying, Mark Baker White from Lower Hardres, near Canterbury, received a two-year term of office with 620 votes.