Key was appointed Kent captain in 2006

Kent captain Rob Key has warned that it will take some time before his young team achieve any real success.

Key, whose side have won just two games this season, has had to turn to his youngsters because of injuries to Simon Cook, Robbie Joseph and Matthew Coles.

Key said: "I don't think we're immediately going to be the side that we were four or five years ago when we were reaching finals.

"But we are going to keep fighting as hard as we can."

Kent's only victory in the county championship came in their opening game against Essex, while in the Clydesdale Bank 40 their only win was at Middlesex.

With three senior bowlers unavailable, Key has had to promote youngsters like Ashley Shaw, Adam Ball and Adam Riley.

The Kent skipper said: "We showed at Middlesex that we can perform. We need to senior players to get their runs.

"These young bowlers are going to have their off-days but I certainly think that it years to come they've got what it takes

"We certainly can perform better but it was always going to be pretty tough this year and it's proving that way.

"But we've just got to make sure the batsmen get their runs, create some pressure and then the young attack can come and do their stuff."

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