Mitch Claydon reflected on his first 50-wicket Championship season with pride and says Kent fans should be excited about the coming seasons.

The Aussie-born paceman claimed 5-61 in the opening innings of the season finale against Gloucestershire and four more in the second to end his first full season at the club on a high, also being named Players’ Player of the Year at the Spitfire Kent Cricket Awards on Saturday.

The 31-year-old broke the 500-over marker this season, claiming 55 scalps at an average of 31, and said: “I’m pleased with the 50 wickets. It’s something I’ve never got to.

“My role is a lot different here to what it was at Durham, the most overs I bowled there was 250 or 260.

“It’s something I’ve enjoyed, taking the new ball and being the senior bowler and having the ball thrown to me when you need something to happen.

“I bowled my overs and got my rewards. The last few weeks I’ve thought I’ve bowled well but without getting the five-fers, so the five-fer was nice.”

He added: “There have been periods this year where we’ve created chances and beaten the bat a lot but that’s the only session where we got the edges and everything was caught and that’s the reason we had them 62-8.”

Claydon will be returning to local cricket in Sydney this winter but is looking forward to an exciting future with Kent.

He said: “I’ll have a couple of weeks off and get back to cricket in Australia. I’ve done that five or six years and it’s worked for me and I’ve stayed injury-free.

“I’m not one who’s going to go out and lift heavy weights, I’m a bowler, I just bowl to stay in good nick.”