Rob Key's Kent escaped county championship relegation by just one place last season. Now they are being tipped for the Division One title by a former opponent.

Ronnie Irani, who was forced into retirement a year ago by a chronic knee injury, believes Kent can follow up their success in the 2007 Twenty20 Cup by winning a first championship title since 1978. And he also believes captain Key has a lot more to offer England, especially in limited-overs cricket.

Essex man Irani rates Key as the country's best skipper after Michael Vaughan and Darren Gough, adding: "England may have missed a trick in not making him their oneday captain."

Key, 28, has not played for his country for three years and whether he and Kent can fulfil Irani's prophecy remains to be seen.

"We have as strong a squad as I can remember but it is all about getting off nought for the batsmen and getting as many wickets as you can for the bowlers," said Key.

One man who scored runs and took wickets for Kent last year was South African-born Ryan McLaren. He, too, has eyes on an England career as has young opener Joe Denley and Copenhagen-born paceman Amjad Khan, if he can find a way back from last year's serious knee injury.