Ealham remains a man of Kent

Ealham, who suffered a wretched season in a Kent summer blighted by injury, is brutally frank about the loss of form that left him 146th in the national batting averages last season and 86th in the bowling.

He said: "I was out for a month with a broken right index finger, but there are no excuses. It was a poor season, one of my poorest ever with bat and ball.

"If I have to criticise my record since making my Kent debut in 1989, I would say that I have not pushed on to score enough hundreds as an England player should. I've scored 42 first-class fifties in my career, but only five centuries. I should have scored at least 12 to 14 hundreds.

"I am batting at six for Kent these days, so there is plenty of time to score the hundreds I need to achieve a more respectable batting average. I suppose I should take heart from Craig White, a good friend, who has returned to the England set-up with a vengeance.

"We talk a lot and he's given me the confidence I need to do better, hopefully starting this winter with the England squad in Kenya, Pakistan and Sri Lanka."

Earlier this year, Ealham was dismissed by one South African journalist as a mere "pie-chucker"

before that unfortunate critic saw the pride of Zimbabwe's batting blown away by the medium-pacer's record one-day bowling performance of five for 15 at Kimberley.

Before Ealham left home this week, he orchestrated an act of generosity rarely seen in professional sporting circles these days. Due a benefit in 2002, he renounced an opportunity to request a benefit from Kent to allow Martin McCague the chance to end his career with a bumper windfall that season if the county agree to the former England bowler's request.

Ealham explained: "The system demands that you have to request a benefit and our service to Kent means we clash that year.

"Martin has had his fair share of injuries and as he is a family man and a fast bowler with all the injury risks that involves, I decided to put back my chance of a benefit to let him go first.

"Fast bowling is a precarious life and as Martin has had so many sparkling seasons and has been a great professional for the county, I felt it was the least I could do for a good mate."

Ealham's reward for loyalty and exemplary service to the county his father Alan led to their last championship winning title in 1978 could be the captaincy.

At 35, the present incumbent, Fleming, is beginning to consider his future in the first-class game and Ealham is his natural successor.

Ealham added: "A year ago, I would have declined. Now, I fancy the job - but only if it suits the Kent management and the other players. If I didn't get the job it wouldn't upset me."