Kent County Cricket Club is one of the 18 first class
countyThe historic counties of England are subdivisions of England established for administration by the Normans and in most cases based on earlier Anglo-Saxon kingdoms and shires...
county cricket clubs which make up the
EnglishEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and
WelshWales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
national
cricketCricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
structure, representing the county of
KentKent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
. The club's limited overs team is called the
Kent SpitfireThe Supermarine Spitfire is a British single-seat fighter aircraft that was used by the Royal Air Force and many other Allied countries throughout the Second World War. The Spitfire continued to be used as a front line fighter and in secondary roles into the 1950s...
s.
The club plays most of its home matches at the
St Lawrence GroundThe St Lawrence Ground is a cricket ground in Canterbury, Kent and is the home of Kent County Cricket Club. It is one of the oldest grounds on which first-class cricket is played, having been in use since 1847...
,
CanterburyCanterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
, but also plays some home matches at The
County Cricket Ground, BeckenhamThe Kent County Cricket Ground is a cricket ground in Beckenham, England....
, and the
Nevill GroundThe Nevill Ground is a cricket venue located in Royal Tunbridge Wells, Kent. It played host to one One Day International during the 1983 Cricket World Cup, the group stage match between India and Zimbabwe in which Kapil Dev played an epic knock of 175*....
,
Royal Tunbridge WellsRoyal Tunbridge Wells is a town in west Kent, England, about south-east of central London by road, by rail. The town is close to the border of the county of East Sussex...
where they host the
Tunbridge Wells Cricket WeekTunbridge Wells Cricket Week is a week long festival of cricket where for one week Kent County Cricket Club play their home matches at the Nevill Ground in Royal Tunbridge Wells...
.
In the 2006 season, Kent finished fifth in Division One of the County Championship while the Spitfires were fifth in the NatWest Pro40 League Division Two.
On 4 August 2007, Kent won the
Twenty20 CupThe Twenty20 Cup was a cricket competition for English and Welsh county clubs.In 2010, it has been replaced by Friends Provident t20 as the domestic Twenty20 competition.-History:...
for the first time, defeating co-favourites Sussex in the semi-finals, captain Rob Key hitting 68 not out. In the final they defeated
GloucestershireGloucestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Gloucestershire. Its limited overs team is called the Gloucestershire Gladiators....
in a see-saw game where in the final over, chasing 148, they required 13 off the last over, before making it home with 2 balls to spare,
Matthew WalkerMatthew Jonathan Walker is an English cricketer, who played for Kent County Cricket Club until 2008. He now plays for Essex County Cricket Club.-Early career:...
hitting 45 and
Darren StevensDarren Ian Stevens is an English cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-pace bowler.-Career:...
hitting 30 not out to see the Spitfires home. Earlier in the final,
Ryan McLarenRyan McLaren is a South African cricketer. He is a left-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-fast bowler....
got a
hat-trickA hat-trick or hat trick in sport is the achievement of a positive feat three times during a game, or other achievements based on threes. The term was first used in 1858 in cricket to describe HH Stephenson's feat of taking three wickets in three balls. A collection was held for Stephenson, and he...
.
On 27 September 2008, Kent were relegated from the First to the Second Division of the
County ChampionshipThe County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
for the first time.
Honours
- County Championship
The County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
(6) - 1906, 1909, 1910, 1913, 1970, 1978; shared (1) - 1977
- FP Trophy (2) - 1967, 1974
- National League (5) - 1972, 1973, 1976, 1995, 2001
- Twenty20 Cup
The Twenty20 Cup was a cricket competition for English and Welsh county clubs.In 2010, it has been replaced by Friends Provident t20 as the domestic Twenty20 competition.-History:...
(1) - 2007
- Benson and Hedges Cup (3) - 1973, 1976, 1978
Second XI honours
- Second XI Championship (7) - 1961, 1969, 1970, 1976, 2002, 2005, 2006; shared (1) - 1987
- Second XI Trophy (1) - 2002
- Minor Counties Championship (2) - 1951, 1956
Records
Most first-class runs for Kent
Qualification - 20000 runs
http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Records/England/Firstclass/Kent/Batting_Records/Most_Career_Runs.html
| Player | Runs |
| Frank Woolley Frank Edward Woolley was an English cricketer, one of the finest all-rounders the game has seen. In a career lasting more than thirty years, he scored more first-class runs than anyone but Sir Jack Hobbs, and took over 2,000 wickets at an average of under 20...
|
47868 |
| Wally Hardinge Harold Thomas William "Wally" Hardinge, born 25 February 1886, and died at Cambridge on 8 May 1965, was a cricketer who played for Kent and England. He was also a football international for England.-Cricket career:...
|
32549 |
| Les Ames Leslie Ethelbert George Ames, CBE was an outstanding wicket-keeper and batsman for the England cricket team and Kent County Cricket Club. In his obituary, the Wisden of 1991 described him as the greatest wicket-keeper-batsman of all time...
|
28951 |
| James Seymour James Seymour was a Kent cricketer from 1902 until 1926, having previously played for W. G. Grace's London County Cricket Club in first-class matches in 1900 and 1901. He was born in Sussex....
|
26818 |
| Arthur Fagg Arthur Edward Fagg was an English cricketer, who played for Kent and England....
|
26070 |
| Colin Cowdrey Michael Colin Cowdrey, Baron Cowdrey of Tonbridge, CBE , better known as Colin Cowdrey, was the Captain of Oxford University, Kent County Cricket Club and the England cricket team in a career that lasted from 1950 to 1976...
|
23779 |
| Bill Ashdown William Henry Ashdown was an English cricketer, and one of only a handful of players who played first-class cricket before the First World War and after the Second World War.Ashdown was born in Bromley, Kent...
|
22309 |
Most first-class wickets for Kent
Qualification - 1000 wickets
http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Records/England/Firstclass/Kent/Bowling_Records/Most_Career_Wickets.html
| Player | Wickets |
| Tich Freeman Alfred Percy "Tich" Freeman was an English cricketer. A leg spin bowler for Kent and England, he is the only man to take 300 wickets in an English season, and is the second most prolific wicket taker in first class cricket history.-Career:Freeman's common name comes from his extremely short...
|
3340 |
| Colin Blythe Colin Blythe , also known as Charlie Blythe, was a Kent and England left arm spinner who is regarded as one of the finest bowlers of the period between 1900 and 1914 - sometimes referred to as the "Golden Age" of cricket.-Career:Blythe first played...
|
2210 |
| Derek Underwood Derek Underwood MBE is an English former international cricketer, and a former President of the MCC....
|
1951 |
| Doug Wright Douglas Vivian Parson Wright, better known as Doug Wright was an English cricketer. A leg-spinner for Kent and England from 1932 to 1957 he took a record seven hat-tricks in first class cricket. He played for Kent for 25 years and was their first professional captain from late 1953 to 1956...
|
1709 |
| Frank Woolley Frank Edward Woolley was an English cricketer, one of the finest all-rounders the game has seen. In a career lasting more than thirty years, he scored more first-class runs than anyone but Sir Jack Hobbs, and took over 2,000 wickets at an average of under 20...
|
1680 |
| Arthur Fielder Arthur Fielder was the leading fast bowler in English cricket for the decade before World War I and one of the key contributors to Kent's four County Championship successes between 1906 and 1913.In some ways the founder of modern fast bowling, Fielder was the first fast bowler to rely on swing...
|
1150 |
| Alec Hearne Alec Hearne was a cricketer who played first-class cricket for Kent between 1884 and 1906. Hearne was named as one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1894...
|
1018 |
Pre-1840
Kent, jointly with Sussex, is believed to be the birthplace of cricket. It is widely held that cricket was invented by children living on the
WealdThe Weald is the name given to an area in South East England situated between the parallel chalk escarpments of the North and the South Downs. It should be regarded as three separate parts: the sandstone "High Weald" in the centre; the clay "Low Weald" periphery; and the Greensand Ridge which...
in Saxon or Norman times. The game's earliest tentative reference, re
creag in 1300, relates to Newenden in Kent.
The first definite mention of cricket in Kent concerned a match at Chevening in 1610 between teams from the Weald and the Downs.
Cricket became established in Kent during the 17th century and the earliest village matches took place before the
English Civil WarThe English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
. It is believed that the earliest county teams were formed in the aftermath of the
RestorationThe Restoration of the English monarchy began in 1660 when the English, Scottish and Irish monarchies were all restored under Charles II after the Interregnum that followed the Wars of the Three Kingdoms...
in 1660. In 1705, West of Kent played Chatham at Malling. The first recorded inter-county match took place in 1709 between Kent and
SurreySurrey county cricket teams have been traced back to the 17th century but the county's involvement in cricket goes back much further than that. The first definite mention of cricket anywhere in the world is dated c.1550 in Guildford.-17th century:...
.
Kent had strong teams throughout the 18th century, often challenging All-England. The county had several famous patrons including
Lord John SackvilleLord John Philip Sackville was the second son of Lionel Sackville, 1st Duke of Dorset...
, his son John Frederick Sackville, 3rd Duke of Dorset and
Sir Horatio MannSir Horatio Mann, 2nd Baronet was an English MP. He is remembered as a member of the Hambledon Club in Hampshire and a patron of Kent cricket. He was an occasional player but rarely in first-class matches....
. In the latter half of the 18th century, Kent and Surrey were the only counties that could realistically challenge the power of
HambledonThe Hambledon Club was a social club that is famous for its organisation of 18th century cricket matches. By the late 1770s it was the foremost cricket club in England.-Foundation:...
.
In the 1822 MCC versus Kent match at Lord’s,
John WillesJohn Willes was an English cricketer who, though he made only five known first-class appearances, had a significant impact on the game's history and development...
of Kent opened the bowling and was no-balled for using a
roundarmIn cricket, roundarm bowling is a style that was introduced in the first quarter of the 19th century and had largely superseded underarm bowling by the 1830s. Using a roundarm action, the bowler has his arm extended at about 90 degrees from his body at the point where he releases the ball...
action, a style he had attempted to introduce since 1807. Willes promptly withdrew from the match and refused to play again in any important fixture. His action proved the catalyst for the so-called "roundarm revolution".
In 1837 Kent was unofficially proclaimed the "champion county" and had the most successful team through most of the 1840s. Mainstays of the Kent team in those years included
Alfred MynnAlfred Mynn was an English cricketer during the game's "Roundarm Era". He was a genuine all-rounder, being both an attacking right-handed batsman and a formidable right arm fast bowler. The noted cricket writer John Woodcock ranked him as the fourth greatest cricketer of all time. Simon Wilde...
,
Fuller PilchFuller Pilch was an English cricketer. Described as "the greatest batsman ever known until the appearance of W. G. Grace", the right-hand batting Pilch played 229 first class cricket matches between 1820 and 1854 for an assortment of counties, including Kent, Hampshire, Surrey and Surrey, as well...
,
Nicholas WanostrochtNicholas "Felix" Wanostrocht was a noted English amateur cricketer....
aka "Felix",
Ned WenmanEdward Gower Wenman was an English cricketer in the mid-19th century.Coming to eminence in 1831, he was a key member of the great Kent team of the 1840s and generally rated one of the best wicket-keepers of the period...
and
William HillyerWilliam Richard Hillyer , was a prominent cricketer for Kent County Cricket Club, MCC and many other sides in the days before county and international cricket was organised into regular competitions....
.
William Jeffrey ProwseWilliam Jeffrey Prowse, often known as Jeff Prowse was an English journalist, poet, humorist and lyricist. An only child born in Torquay, Devon, he resided with his uncle, shipbroker John Sparke Prowse in Greenwich, following the death of his father in 1844 when Prowse aged eight, and inherited...
wrote these famous lines about the Kent side, as part of his poem
In Memoriam, Alfred Mynn:
- And with five such mighty cricketers, t'was but natural to win,
- As Felix, Wenman, Hillyer, Fuller Pilch, and Alfred Mynn.
Post-1840
On 6 August 1842, formation of the original Kent County Cricket Club took place in
CanterburyCanterbury is a historic English cathedral city, which lies at the heart of the City of Canterbury, a district of Kent in South East England. It lies on the River Stour....
. The new Kent CCC played its initial first-class match against All-England at the White Hart Ground in Bromley on 25, 26 & 27 August 1842. In 1847 the club began using the St Lawrence Ground. On 1 March 1859, a substantial reorganisation occurred to create the present Kent CCC.
Kent enjoyed two periods of prolonged success: the first in the years before
World War IWorld War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, when in the space of eight seasons they were
county championsThe County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
four times. The bowling of
Colin BlytheColin Blythe , also known as Charlie Blythe, was a Kent and England left arm spinner who is regarded as one of the finest bowlers of the period between 1900 and 1914 - sometimes referred to as the "Golden Age" of cricket.-Career:Blythe first played...
and the captaincy of
Cloudesley MarshamCloudesley Henry Bullock "Slug" Marsham was an English cricketer.Primarily a batsman, he appeared for Oxford University and Kent, whom he captained to the 1906 Championship title.-Career:...
, and later
Ted DillonEdward Wentworth Dillon was an English cricketer. He played first-class cricket predominantly for Kent County Cricket Club between 1900 and 1913, captaining the side from 1909 until his retirement....
were key factors in Kent's decade of success. They remained highly consistent until the 1930s, with high quality players such as
Tich FreemanAlfred Percy "Tich" Freeman was an English cricketer. A leg spin bowler for Kent and England, he is the only man to take 300 wickets in an English season, and is the second most prolific wicket taker in first class cricket history.-Career:Freeman's common name comes from his extremely short...
,
Frank WoolleyFrank Edward Woolley was an English cricketer, one of the finest all-rounders the game has seen. In a career lasting more than thirty years, he scored more first-class runs than anyone but Sir Jack Hobbs, and took over 2,000 wickets at an average of under 20...
,
Wally HardingeHarold Thomas William "Wally" Hardinge, born 25 February 1886, and died at Cambridge on 8 May 1965, was a cricketer who played for Kent and England. He was also a football international for England.-Cricket career:...
and
Les AmesLeslie Ethelbert George Ames, CBE was an outstanding wicket-keeper and batsman for the England cricket team and Kent County Cricket Club. In his obituary, the Wisden of 1991 described him as the greatest wicket-keeper-batsman of all time...
all playing at the peak of their career.
Kent did not become successful again until the 1970s, when they claimed ten domestic trophies, including the
County ChampionshipThe County Championship is the domestic first-class cricket competition in England and Wales...
title in 1970, 1978 and a shared title in 1977. They also claimed the
Benson & Hedges CupThe Benson & Hedges Cup was a one-day cricket competition for first-class counties in England and Wales that was held from 1972 to 2002, one of cricket's longest sponsorship deals....
in 1973, 1976, 1978, and the Gillette Cup in 1974. Their success was this time due to the batting of
Brian LuckhurstBrian William Luckhurst was an English cricketer, who played his entire county career for Kent County Cricket Club. He played for Kent from 1958 to 1976, usually opening the batting, then in 1985, in an emergency, played in one more match against the Australians. He was cricket manager from 1981...
,
Asif IqbalAsif Iqbal Razvi is a Pakistani cricketer who captained Pakistan and Kent CCC. He is now an ICC Match Referee....
and
Colin CowdreyMichael Colin Cowdrey, Baron Cowdrey of Tonbridge, CBE , better known as Colin Cowdrey, was the Captain of Oxford University, Kent County Cricket Club and the England cricket team in a career that lasted from 1950 to 1976...
.
Kent have become well-known for producing high-quality
wicket-keeperThe wicket-keeper in the sport of cricket is the player on the fielding side who stands behind the wicket or stumps being guarded by the batsman currently on strike...
s.
Les AmesLeslie Ethelbert George Ames, CBE was an outstanding wicket-keeper and batsman for the England cricket team and Kent County Cricket Club. In his obituary, the Wisden of 1991 described him as the greatest wicket-keeper-batsman of all time...
,
Godfrey EvansThomas Godfrey Evans CBE was an English cricketer who played for Kent and England.Described by Wisden as 'arguably the best wicket-keeper the game has ever seen', Evans collected 219 dismissals in 91 Test match appearances between 1946 and 1959 and a total of 1066 in all first-class matches...
,
Alan KnottAlan Philip Eric Knott is a former Kent County Cricket Club and English cricketer, as a wicket-keeper-batsman....
, Paul Downton and
Geraint JonesGeraint Owen Jones MBE is an England cricketer of Welsh extraction but raised in Australia. Until August 2006 he was the first-choice wicketkeeper for England in both Test and One-day cricket, but fell behind Chris Read, Paul Nixon, Matt Prior and Tim Ambrose...
have all progressed from the Kent ranks to the English national side.
Players with most first-class appearances
- Frank Woolley
Frank Edward Woolley was an English cricketer, one of the finest all-rounders the game has seen. In a career lasting more than thirty years, he scored more first-class runs than anyone but Sir Jack Hobbs, and took over 2,000 wickets at an average of under 20...
- Colin Cowdrey
Michael Colin Cowdrey, Baron Cowdrey of Tonbridge, CBE , better known as Colin Cowdrey, was the Captain of Oxford University, Kent County Cricket Club and the England cricket team in a career that lasted from 1950 to 1976...
- Derek Underwood
Derek Underwood MBE is an English former international cricketer, and a former President of the MCC....
- Wally Hardinge
Harold Thomas William "Wally" Hardinge, born 25 February 1886, and died at Cambridge on 8 May 1965, was a cricketer who played for Kent and England. He was also a football international for England.-Cricket career:...
- Les Ames
Leslie Ethelbert George Ames, CBE was an outstanding wicket-keeper and batsman for the England cricket team and Kent County Cricket Club. In his obituary, the Wisden of 1991 described him as the greatest wicket-keeper-batsman of all time...
- Tich Freeman
Alfred Percy "Tich" Freeman was an English cricketer. A leg spin bowler for Kent and England, he is the only man to take 300 wickets in an English season, and is the second most prolific wicket taker in first class cricket history.-Career:Freeman's common name comes from his extremely short...
- James Seymour
James Seymour was a Kent cricketer from 1902 until 1926, having previously played for W. G. Grace's London County Cricket Club in first-class matches in 1900 and 1901. He was born in Sussex....
- Alan Knott
Alan Philip Eric Knott is a former Kent County Cricket Club and English cricketer, as a wicket-keeper-batsman....
- Mike Denness
Mike Denness is a former Scottish cricketer who played for England, Scotland, Essex and Kent. Scotland did not have a representative international team at the time of Denness' career, so he could only play for England at Test and ODI level. Denness became the first Scotsman to captain England...
- Godfrey Evans
Thomas Godfrey Evans CBE was an English cricketer who played for Kent and England.Described by Wisden as 'arguably the best wicket-keeper the game has ever seen', Evans collected 219 dismissals in 91 Test match appearances between 1946 and 1959 and a total of 1066 in all first-class matches...
Club captains
- 1871-1889 Lord Harris
George Robert Canning Harris, 4th Baron Harris, GCSI, GCIE was a British politician, cricketer and cricket administrator...
- 1890-1893 Frank Marchant
Frank Marchant was an English cricketer. He was a right-handed batsman and an occasional wicket-keeper. He was born in Kent.-Life:...
and William PattersonWilliam Harry Patterson was an English amateur cricketer during the latter part of the 19th century. A right-handed batsman who occasionally bowled, he was the joint captain of Kent County Cricket Club between 1890 and 1893....
- 1894-1897 Frank Marchant
Frank Marchant was an English cricketer. He was a right-handed batsman and an occasional wicket-keeper. He was born in Kent.-Life:...
- 1897-1902 Jack Mason
John Richard Mason was an English cricketer who played in 5 Tests on A.E. Stoddart's 1897/98 tour of Australia. A right-hand bat and right-arm fast-medium pace bowler, Mason played county cricket for Kent between 1893 and 1919...
- 1903 Cuthbert Burnup
Cuthbert James "Pinky" Burnup was an amateur cricketer and footballer who gained fame through his participation in sports around the turn of the century...
- 1904-1908 C. H. B. Marsham
Cloudesley Henry Bullock "Slug" Marsham was an English cricketer.Primarily a batsman, he appeared for Oxford University and Kent, whom he captained to the 1906 Championship title.-Career:...
- 1909-1913 Ted Dillon
Edward Wentworth Dillon was an English cricketer. He played first-class cricket predominantly for Kent County Cricket Club between 1900 and 1913, captaining the side from 1909 until his retirement....
- 1914-1923 Lionel Troughton
Lionel Holmes Wood Troughton was an English cricketer. Primarily a batsman, he was captain of Kent County Cricket Club between 1914 and 1923....
- 1924-1926 Stanley Cornwallis
Colonel Wykeham Stanley Cornwallis, 2nd Baron Cornwallis KCVO, KBE, MC , was a British peer.-Background and education:...
- 1927 John Evans
Alfred John Evans was a cricketer who played for Oxford University, Hampshire, Kent and England. He was also an all-round sportsman who enjoyed success in golf and racquets.Evans was born in Newtown, Hampshire...
- 1928-1930 Geoffrey Legge
Geoffrey Bevington Legge was an English cricketer who played in 5 Tests from 1927 to 1930...
- 1931-1935 Percy Chapman
Arthur Percy Frank Chapman was an English cricketer who captained England to a then English-record-equalling seven consecutive Test match wins, a record that was not surpassed until Michael Vaughan's team won eight in a row in 2004...
and Bryan ValentineBryan Herbert Valentine was an English cricketer who played in 7 Tests from 1933 to 1939....
- 1936 Percy Chapman
Arthur Percy Frank Chapman was an English cricketer who captained England to a then English-record-equalling seven consecutive Test match wins, a record that was not surpassed until Michael Vaughan's team won eight in a row in 2004...
, Ian Akers-DouglasIan Stanley Akers-Douglas was an English cricketer. He was a right-handed batsman who played first-class cricket for Kent between 1929 and 1938...
and Bryan ValentineBryan Herbert Valentine was an English cricketer who played in 7 Tests from 1933 to 1939....
- 1937 Ronald Bryan
Ronald Thurston Bryan was an English cricketer.Bryan was born in Beckenham, Kent in 1898. He played first-class cricket for 17 years, appearing solely for Kent between 1920 to 1937, and was one of Kent's joint captains in 1937.He was one of three left-handed brothers who all played as amateurs...
and Bryan ValentineBryan Herbert Valentine was an English cricketer who played in 7 Tests from 1933 to 1939....
- 1938-1939 Gerry Chalk
Frederick Gerald Hudson Chalk DFC was an English cricketer...
- 1946-1948 Bryan Valentine
Bryan Herbert Valentine was an English cricketer who played in 7 Tests from 1933 to 1939....
|
|
1949-1951 David Clark David Graham Clark is a former English cricketer and cricket administrator.Clark was born in Barming, Kent. He played first-class cricket for five years, appearing for Kent. He was Kent's captain for the last three years of his career. He retired at the end of the 1951 season...
1952-1953 William Murray-Wood
1954-1956 Doug WrightDouglas Vivian Parson Wright, better known as Doug Wright was an English cricketer. A leg-spinner for Kent and England from 1932 to 1957 he took a record seven hat-tricks in first class cricket. He played for Kent for 25 years and was their first professional captain from late 1953 to 1956...
1957-1971 Colin CowdreyMichael Colin Cowdrey, Baron Cowdrey of Tonbridge, CBE , better known as Colin Cowdrey, was the Captain of Oxford University, Kent County Cricket Club and the England cricket team in a career that lasted from 1950 to 1976...
1972-1976 Mike DennessMike Denness is a former Scottish cricketer who played for England, Scotland, Essex and Kent. Scotland did not have a representative international team at the time of Denness' career, so he could only play for England at Test and ODI level. Denness became the first Scotsman to captain England...
1977 Asif IqbalAsif Iqbal Razvi is a Pakistani cricketer who captained Pakistan and Kent CCC. He is now an ICC Match Referee....
1978-1980 Alan EalhamAlan George Ernest Ealham was a cricketer with Kent.He made his debut in 1966 and won his county cap in 1970. Alan captained the club between 1978 and 1980 and had his benefit in 1982...
1981-1982 Asif IqbalAsif Iqbal Razvi is a Pakistani cricketer who captained Pakistan and Kent CCC. He is now an ICC Match Referee....
1983-1984 Chris TavaréChristopher James Tavaré is an English retired cricketer, who played in thirty one Tests and twenty nine One Day Internationals from 1980 to 1989.-Life and career:...
1985-1990 Chris CowdreyChristopher Stuart "Chris" Cowdrey is an English former cricketer. Cowdrey played for Kent, Glamorgan and England as an all-rounder...
1991-1996 Mark BensonMark Richard Benson is a former International cricketer and a retired ICC Elite Panel cricket umpire - he played for England in one Test match and one One Day International in 1986....
1997-1998 Steve MarshSteven Andrew Marsh , is a former English cricketer. He was a right-handed batsman and wicket-keeper, and played for Kent for his entire career, between 1982 and 1999. He was appointed club captain in 1997 and carried out the role for two seasons, standing down after the 1998 season. He was capped...
1999-2001 Matthew FlemingMatthew Valentine Fleming is a former cricketer who represented Kent and England.Born out of his time, his background was Eton and the Royal Greenjackets, his approach was cavalier. His first 2 scoring shots in first class cricket were sixes.He played 11 One Day Internationals but no Test matches...
2002-2005 David FultonDavid Paul Fulton is a former English cricketer. He was a right-handed opening batsman, who occasionally bowled left-arm orthodox spin. He played first-class cricket for Kent for 15 years until 2006...
Matthew WalkerMatthew Jonathan Walker is an English cricketer, who played for Kent County Cricket Club until 2008. He now plays for Essex County Cricket Club.-Early career:...
acted as official List A captain for the second half of 2005
2006–present Robert KeyRobert William Trevor Key is an English cricketer. He is the captain of Kent County Cricket Club, and a former member of the England Test match and One Day International sides....
|
Current squad
The Kent squad for the 2011 season currently includes:
(Players with international caps are listed in
bold)
| No. |
Name |
Nat |
Birth date |
Batting Style |
Bowling Style |
Notes |
| Batsmen |
| 19 |
James Goodman James Elliot Goodman is an English cricketer currently with Kent County Cricket Club, he is a right hand top order batsman, and right arm medium pace bowler, who is currently enrolled in the Kent Academy system. He toured to India with the first team squad, and scored a hundred in his only innings...
|
 |
19 November 1990 (age 21) |
Right-handed |
Right arm medium pace |
|
| 4 |
Robert KeyRobert William Trevor Key is an English cricketer. He is the captain of Kent County Cricket Club, and a former member of the England Test match and One Day International sides....
|
|
12 May 1979 (age 32) |
Right-handed |
Right arm off spinOff spin is a type of bowling in the sport of cricket which is bowled by an off spinner, a right-handed spin bowler who uses his or her fingers and/or wrist to spin the ball from a right-handed batsman's off side to the leg side...
|
Club captain The captain of a cricket team often referred to as the skipper is the appointed leader, having several additional roles and responsibilities over and above those of a regular player...
|
| 17 |
Sam Northeast Sam Alexander Northeast is an English cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman and a right-arm off spinner. He is currently contracted by Kent.-Career:...
|
|
16 October 1989 (age 22) |
Right-handed |
Right arm off spinOff spin is a type of bowling in the sport of cricket which is bowled by an off spinner, a right-handed spin bowler who uses his or her fingers and/or wrist to spin the ball from a right-handed batsman's off side to the leg side...
|
|
| 3 |
Darren StevensDarren Ian Stevens is an English cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-pace bowler.-Career:...
|
|
30 April 1976 (age 35) |
Right-handed |
Right arm medium pace |
|
| |
Daniel Bell-Drummond Daniel Bell-Drummond is an English first-class cricketer, who plays for Kent County Cricket Club and England Under-19 cricket team....
|
|
3 August 1993 (age 18) |
Right-handed |
Right arm medium pace |
|
| |
Chris Piesley Christopher Damien Piesley is an English cricketer. Piesley is a left-handed batsman who bowls right-arm off break. He was born in Chatham, Kent and educated at Fulston Manor School in Sittingbourne....
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12 March 1992 (age 19) |
Left-handed |
Right arm off spinOff spin is a type of bowling in the sport of cricket which is bowled by an off spinner, a right-handed spin bowler who uses his or her fingers and/or wrist to spin the ball from a right-handed batsman's off side to the leg side...
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Mike Powell |
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3 February 1977 (age 35) |
Right-handed |
Right arm off-break |
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| All-rounders |
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Azhar Mahmood Azhar Mahmood Sagar is a Pakistani cricketer, . Originally his father objected to his interest in cricket, but later started to appreciate it seeing his accomplishments. As a teenager, Azhar was mentored by Irfan Bhatti who played a One Day International for Pakistan in the early 90’s...
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28 February 1975 (age 36) |
Right-handed |
Right arm fast-medium |
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| 24 |
Adam Ball Adam James Ball is an English cricketer. Ball is a right-handed batsman who bowls left-arm fast-medium. He was born in Greenwich, London....
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1 March 1993 (age 18) |
Right-handed |
Left arm fast-medium |
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Alex Blake Alexander James Blake is an English cricketer. He currently plays for Kent. He is a left-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-fast bowler....
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25 January 1989 (age 23) |
Left-handed |
Right arm medium-fast |
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| 15 |
James Tredwell James Cullum Tredwell is an English cricketer. A left-handed batsman and a right-arm off break bowler, he plays his domestic cricket for Kent County Cricket Club...
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27 February 1982 (age 29) |
Left-handed |
Right arm off spinOff spin is a type of bowling in the sport of cricket which is bowled by an off spinner, a right-handed spin bowler who uses his or her fingers and/or wrist to spin the ball from a right-handed batsman's off side to the leg side...
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| Wicket-keepers |
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Geraint JonesGeraint Owen Jones MBE is an England cricketer of Welsh extraction but raised in Australia. Until August 2006 he was the first-choice wicketkeeper for England in both Test and One-day cricket, but fell behind Chris Read, Paul Nixon, Matt Prior and Tim Ambrose...
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14 July 1976 (age 35) |
Right-handed |
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Sam Billings Samuel William Billings is an English cricketer. Billings is a right-handed batsman who fields as a wicket-keeper. He was born in Pembury, Kent....
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15 June 1991 (age 20) |
Right-handed |
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| Bowlers |
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Matt Coles |
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26 May 1990 (age 21) |
Left-handed |
Right arm medium pace |
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Simon Cook Simon James Cook is an English cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman and a right-arm medium-fast bowler.Cook initially played in 1996 for Cumnor before a year later being picked up by Middlesex along with Andrew Strauss....
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15 January 1977 (age 35) |
Right-handed |
Right arm fast-medium |
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Robbie Joseph Robert Hartman Joseph is a West Indian-born English cricketer. He is a right-handed batsman and a right-arm fast bowler....
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20 January 1982 (age 30) |
Right-handed |
Right arm fastFast bowling, sometimes known as pace bowling, is one of the two main approaches to bowling in the sport of cricket. The other is spin bowling...
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| 22 |
Ashley Shaw Stuart Ashley Shaw is an English cricketer. Shaw is a right-handed batsman who bowls left-arm fast-medium. He was born in Crewe, Cheshire and educated there at Shavington High School....
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15 April 1991 (age 20) |
Right-handed |
Left arm fast-medium |
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| 33 |
Adam Riley Adam Edward Nicholas Riley is an English cricketer. Riley is a right-handed batsman who bowls right-arm off break. He was born in Sidcup, Kent....
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23 March 1992 (age 19) |
Right-handed |
Right arm off spinOff spin is a type of bowling in the sport of cricket which is bowled by an off spinner, a right-handed spin bowler who uses his or her fingers and/or wrist to spin the ball from a right-handed batsman's off side to the leg side...
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| 67 |
Charl Langeveldt Charl Kenneth Langeveldt is a South African ODI and Test cricketer. He is one of four Cape Coloureds in the South African side, with the others being Herschelle Gibbs, JP Duminy and Ashwell Prince....
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17 December 1974 (age 37) |
Right-handed |
Right arm fast-medium |
Overseas player (t20 and CB40 The ECB40, currently known as the Clydesdale Bank 40 for sponsorship reasons, is a forty-over limited overs cricket competition for the English first-class counties. It began in the 2010 English cricket season as a replacement for the Pro40 and Friends Provident Trophy competitions...
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Kent Facts and Feats
- George Farmer Bennett of Kent was the first County batsman to be given out by handling the ball. Playing against Sussex at Hove in August 1872 he had not got off the mark when he removed a ball that had lodged in his clothing. Sussex appealed and the umpire was forced to give him out. This unfortunate incident came before the introduction of Law 33 (b) in 1899 which declared such a ball to be 'dead'.
- Left arm spinners Colin Blythe
Colin Blythe , also known as Charlie Blythe, was a Kent and England left arm spinner who is regarded as one of the finest bowlers of the period between 1900 and 1914 - sometimes referred to as the "Golden Age" of cricket.-Career:Blythe first played...
and Frank WoolleyFrank Edward Woolley was an English cricketer, one of the finest all-rounders the game has seen. In a career lasting more than thirty years, he scored more first-class runs than anyone but Sir Jack Hobbs, and took over 2,000 wickets at an average of under 20...
bowled unchanged through both innings against Yorkshire on a rain affected pitch at the Mote in Maidstone in 1910. Kent won on their way to a second successive county championship.
- The pavilion at Tunbridge Wells was burned down by Suffragettes in April 1913. Though valuable records were lost the Pavilion was rebuilt in 9 weeks, the funds raised by public subscription.
- Kent ran up 803 for 4 dec against Essex CCC at Brentwood in 1934 with Bill Ashdown
William Henry Ashdown was an English cricketer, and one of only a handful of players who played first-class cricket before the First World War and after the Second World War.Ashdown was born in Bromley, Kent...
scoring 332, Les AmesLeslie Ethelbert George Ames, CBE was an outstanding wicket-keeper and batsman for the England cricket team and Kent County Cricket Club. In his obituary, the Wisden of 1991 described him as the greatest wicket-keeper-batsman of all time...
202* and Frank WoolleyFrank Edward Woolley was an English cricketer, one of the finest all-rounders the game has seen. In a career lasting more than thirty years, he scored more first-class runs than anyone but Sir Jack Hobbs, and took over 2,000 wickets at an average of under 20...
172. The total took seven hours, with 623 runs alone on the first day.
- Frank Woolley
Frank Edward Woolley was an English cricketer, one of the finest all-rounders the game has seen. In a career lasting more than thirty years, he scored more first-class runs than anyone but Sir Jack Hobbs, and took over 2,000 wickets at an average of under 20...
scored over 2,000 runs for Kent in 1935 aged 48. He retired in 1938 with 58,959 runs, 145 centuries, 2066 wickets and 1018 catches to his name.
- Arthur Fagg
Arthur Edward Fagg was an English cricketer, who played for Kent and England....
scored two double centuries in the same match for Kent against Essex CCC at Colchester in 1938.
- Doug Wright
Douglas Vivian Parson Wright, better known as Doug Wright was an English cricketer. A leg-spinner for Kent and England from 1932 to 1957 he took a record seven hat-tricks in first class cricket. He played for Kent for 25 years and was their first professional captain from late 1953 to 1956...
, who took over 2000 wickets with his brisk leg breaks and googlies between 1932 and 1957, took his 7th hat trick in 1949, the most ever. He also took 108 wickets for England.
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