Cricket

Kent County Cricket Club has bolstered its wicketkeeping ranks with the signing of Chris Benjamin from Warwickshire on a three-year contract. The 25-year-old South African-born player, who holds a British passport, has impressed in limited opportunities for the Bears and in the Hundred.Benjamin's breakthrough came in the 2021 Hundred, where he was drafted as a replacement player for Birmingham Phoenix. Despite having played only one senior T20 for Warwickshire, he made an immediate impact, scoring 24 off 15 balls to guide his team to victory. He continued to feature regularly in the tournament's first three seasons.In first-class cricket, Benjamin made a century on debut for Warwickshire but has had limited opportunities in the longer format. He has made 10 appearances for the county, averaging 22.23.Kent's director of cricket, Simon Cook, expressed his delight at securing Benjamin's services. "We're delighted to have attracted a player of Chris' talent to Kent on a long-term contract," Cook said. "He is still a young player with a lot of potential to improve further, and we're pleased to Kent to be the place for him to do so."Benjamin, who moved to the UK in 2018 to study, is excited about the opportunity to play regularly for Kent. "I'm excited to be joining Kent and having the opportunity to play regularly across multiple formats," Benjamin said. "There is a young squad here that will only improve over time, and there's a clear plan for Kent to return to the highs of their recent successes in the future. It's an exciting project to be a part of."Benjamin's arrival will strengthen Kent's wicketkeeping options, with Ollie Robinson and Jordan Cox having left over the last two seasons, and Sam Billings signing a white-ball contract. The club's keeper in Championship cricket this summer has been Harry Finch.Kent were relegated from Division One of the County Championship earlier this month, finishing bottom of the table. They also finished last in the South Group of the Vitality Blast and seventh in Group A of the Metro Bank One-Day Cup.

Matt Walker, the head coach of Kent's men's cricket team, has announced his departure at the end of the season after seven years at the helm. Walker, a former Kent player with a 16-year career, took over as head coach in 2017, replacing Jimmy Adams.During his tenure, Walker guided Kent to limited-overs success, winning the Vitality Blast in 2021 and the One-Day Cup in 2022. He also oversaw the team's promotion to Division One of the County Championship in 2018. However, Kent's recent form has been disappointing, with the team languishing at the bottom of Division Two and struggling in the T20 Blast.In a statement released by Kent, Walker expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to coach his home county. He highlighted the promotion to Division One and trophy successes as memorable moments, but emphasized that working with the players and coaches had been the most rewarding aspect of his time at the club.Kent's director of cricket, Simon Cook, praised Walker's contributions as both a player and a coach. He noted that Walker's name would be forever associated with recent successes at Kent Cricket.It is understood that Kent will look externally for Walker's successor, with Matthew Mott a potential candidate. Mott, who recently stepped down as England's white-ball coach, has experience in county cricket, having worked at Glamorgan as head coach and head of elite performance.Walker's departure marks the end of an era at Kent, and the club will be hoping to find a suitable replacement who can continue the team's progress and bring further success to Canterbury.

Kent County Cricket Club has bolstered its bowling attack for the crucial second half of the Vitality T20 Blast group stage by signing experienced Australian seamer Tom Rogers. The 30-year-old joins the Spitfires from Melbourne Renegades, where he has been a key performer in the Big Bash League.Rogers brings a wealth of T20 experience to Kent, having claimed 60 wickets in 72 matches at an impressive average of 24.78 and an economical rate of 8.38. His ability to swing the ball both ways and generate pace will be a valuable asset to the Spitfires, who have struggled with injuries to their bowling department.Kent's director of cricket, Simon Cook, expressed his delight at securing Rogers' services. "We're pleased to have got Tom on board to sure-up our bowling options going into the 'business end' of this South Group stage," Cook said. "He has a lot of experience and has skills that will be useful to us with both the ball and the bat, too."Rogers will join a Kent bowling attack that has been depleted by the absence of Xavier Bartlett, who is only available for the first eight group games, and Wes Agar, who has returned to Australia due to a shoulder injury. The Spitfires are currently second from bottom in the South Group, but they still have a chance of qualifying for the knockout stages.Rogers is eager to make an impact for Kent and help the team achieve its goals. "I'm grateful for the opportunity to play in the Vitality Blast and I'm excited to be joining Kent," Rogers said. "We know that every game is vital for us now, and I want to do my part in getting results as a Spitfire in the near future."

Kent's resilience was on full display at Taunton as they fought back valiantly against Somerset in the Vitality County Championship First Division match. After being bowled out for 178 in their first innings, Kent's openers, Zak Crawley and Ben Compton, put together a formidable partnership of 194 runs in the second innings.Crawley, who had struggled for form this season, returned to his best with a magnificent double century. The England opener faced 267 balls, hitting 31 fours and four sixes in his 238-run knock. Compton also played a crucial role, scoring 65 runs before being dismissed by Matt Renshaw.Kent's skipper, Daniel Bell-Drummond, contributed 62 runs, while Marcus O'Riordan and Nathan Gilchrist remained unbeaten at the crease. Despite losing Crawley and Bell-Drummond in the final session, Kent managed to extend their lead to 33 runs at stumps, giving them a glimmer of hope for a draw.Somerset's bowlers, led by Craig Overton and Migael Pretorius, had a productive first innings, claiming three wickets each. However, they were unable to maintain the same intensity in the second innings as Crawley and Compton dominated the proceedings.The match is poised for an exciting finish on day four, with Kent needing to bat out the day to secure a draw. Somerset, on the other hand, will be looking to take early wickets and force a result.

Kent's Daniel Bell-Drummond guided his team to a resounding seven-wicket victory over Lancashire in the Vitality County Championship match at Emirates Old Trafford. The Kent skipper's unbeaten 79 steered his side to their target of 164, securing their first win on the ground since 1997.Lancashire's bowlers, led by Nathan Lyon and Tom Hartley, posed a significant challenge to Kent's batters. However, the Kent top order remained resilient, keeping the scoreboard ticking over despite the difficult batting conditions. Lyon eventually dismissed Ben Compton for 29 and Jack Leaning for 16, but these wickets failed to derail Kent's momentum.Bell-Drummond's partnership with Compton had laid the foundation for Kent's victory, and he continued to anchor the innings with aplomb. Joe Denly struck the winning four to finish on 19 not out, completing Kent's first win of the season.Lyon finished with figures of 2 for 48 from 22 overs, while Hartley bowled 13 wicketless overs for 42 runs. The victory lifts Kent to sixth in the First Division table, while Lancashire remain winless and bottom of the pile.

Kent's Daniel Bell-Drummond showcased his exceptional batting prowess on day one of their Vitality County Championship clash against Surrey at Canterbury. Despite a rain-affected start, Bell-Drummond's elegant 70 and a crucial partnership with Jack Leaning (30*) propelled Kent to a respectable 113 for 3 at stumps.The match commenced with a somber tribute to the late Kent and England legend Derek Underwood, who passed away on Monday. Both teams observed a minute's silence in front of the Underwood & Knott stand, honoring his legacy. The memory of Surrey's Raman Subba Row, who passed away on Wednesday, was also acknowledged.The weather played a significant role, wiping out all but 11 balls of the first two sessions. However, conditions improved late in the afternoon, allowing for a resumption of play at 4.15pm. Surrey's Dan Worrall made an early impact, dismissing Zak Crawley and Ben Compton to reduce Kent to 8 for 2.Bell-Drummond and Leaning then combined for a crucial 100-run partnership, stabilizing Kent's innings. Bell-Drummond reached his half-century with a crisp four through cover off Worrall. However, he was dismissed in the penultimate over of the day, trapped leg before by Tom Lawes.Night-watcher George Garrett remained unbeaten on one at stumps, ensuring Kent ended the day in a relatively strong position. Surrey's bowlers, led by Worrall's 2 for 33, will be looking to make further inroads on day two.

Derek Underwood, the legendary English spin bowler, passed away at the age of 78. Known as "Deadly" for his lethal left-arm action, Underwood claimed 297 wickets in 86 Tests between 1966 and 1982.Underwood's career began at Kent, where he made his first-class debut at 17. Over three decades, he played over 900 matches for the county, taking 2,523 wickets at an astonishing average of 19.04. His accuracy and pace made him a formidable opponent, especially on rain-affected wickets.In the 1968 Ashes, Underwood's brilliance was on full display. In the final Test at The Oval, he claimed four wickets in 27 balls to defeat Australia and square the series. His most remarkable performance came in 1973 at Hastings, where he took 8 for 9 to rout Sussex on a rain-soaked pitch.Underwood's adaptability extended to India and Australia, where he adjusted his pace to maximize his impact. He was ranked as the world's No.1 bowler from 1969 to 1973. However, his career was marred by two controversial decisions.In 1977, he joined World Series Cricket, and in 1981-82, he participated in the rebel tour of South Africa. These actions led to a three-year ban from internationals, effectively ending his career.Despite these setbacks, Underwood's legacy remains intact. He won three County Championships, two One-Day Cups, and three Benson & Hedges Cups with Kent. He was awarded an MBE in 1981 and inducted into the ICC's Cricket Hall of Fame in 2009.In 2011, the Annexe Stand at Kent's home ground was renamed the 'Underwood & Knott Stand' in honor of his legendary partnership with wicketkeeper Allan Knott.