Ntinit took 24 wickets in five championship games for Kent

Kent coach Paul Farbrace insists they could not have made a better short-term overseas signing than South Africa bowler Makhaya Ntini.

The South African, whose five-week stint ends with Monday's 40-over game against Scotland, took 10 wickets as Kent beat Durham in just two days.

Farbrace told BBC Radio Kent:"We could not have signed a better overseas player as a five week stint.

"What he has given this team has been absolutely outstanding."

He added: "For a bloke with 100 Test matches, to give as much as he has to Kent cricket, we could have paid him double the money and it still wouldn't be enough in terms of the effort he has put in.

"There have been some impressive players who have played county cricket.

"But I doubt many have given more in terms of passion and enthusiasm as Makhaya has in the past five weeks."

Ntini will be replaced by Sri Lanka leg spinner Malinga Bandara for the start of the Twenty20 campaign.

Bandara took four wickets in the first innings of his first game in a Kent shirt - a second XI game against Sussex at The Mote in Maidstone.

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version