Saggers is back at Kent after a loan spell with Essex last season

Kent fast bowler Martin Saggers has dismissed criticism over their signing of Australian seamer Stuart Clark.

The decision to bring the 33-year-old to Canterbury until June has upset many in the game, who claim Kent are helping Australia's Ashes preparations.

But Saggers said: "We've got to concentrate on what we've got to do.

"To do that we've got to have the best available players playing. He's going to bring a lot of experience to the team and he's a quality bowler."

Saggers added: We've got to concentrate on the Kent side of the coin and hopefully he'll get wickets and get us off to the best possible start."

England captain Andrew Strauss, former skipper Alec Stewart and national selector Geoff Miller have all been critical of Kent and Middlesex - who have signed Clark's Australian team-mate Phillip Hughes.

Stewart even called for a curb on foreign players playing in county cricket when their national side is touring England in the same season.

But Kent's chief executive Paul Millman has argued that counties must be allowed to balance national success with their own requirements.

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version