Kent County Cricket Club in 2017 explained

Club:Kent County Cricket Club
Season:2017
Coach: Matthew Walker
Captain: Sam Northeast
Overseas: Wayne Parnell (April–May)
Yasir Shah (June–July)
Adam Milne (June–September)
James Neesham (July–August, t20 only)
Overseastitle:Overseas players
Ground:St Lawrence Ground, Canterbury
Nevill Ground, Tunbridge Wells
County Ground, Beckenham
Comp1:County Championship
Comp1 Result:5th, Division Two
Comp2:Royal London One-Day Cup
Comp2 Result:9th, South Group
Comp3:NatWest t20 Blast
Comp3 Result:6th, South Group
Comp4:2016–17 Regional Super50
Comp4 Result:3rd, Group A
Most Runs:

Most Wickets:

Most Catches:

Most Dismissals:

Prevseason:2016
Nextseason:2018

In 2017, Kent County Cricket Club competed in Division Two of the County Championship, the Royal London One-Day Cup and the NatWest t20 Blast. In addition, before the start of the English cricket season, Kent competed in the 2016–17 Regional Super50, the List A competition of the West Indian domestic season.[1] This was the first time that any English county had competed in an overseas domestic competition.[2] The invitation to take part in the tournament was largely due to the influence of former West Indian captain Jimmy Adams who had been Kent's Head Coach until September 2016.

The season was the first in charge for new head coach and former player, Matthew Walker.[3] Former South African fast-bowler Allan Donald was announced as the new assistant coach, but his arrival was delayed while he worked towards the ECB level three qualification he required to gain the visa necessary to take up the role.[4] Former Yorkshire coach, and Australia fast-bowler, Jason Gillespie was appointed as assistant coach on an interim basis for the first few weeks of the season.[5] It was later announced that Donald would not be joining up with Kent until 2018.[6] Sam Northeast retained the club captaincy for a second season.[7]

Joe Denly won the club's Player of the Year award, having scored over 1,895 runs across all formats.[8]

Squad

Departures

Fast bowler David Griffiths left the club at the end of his contract in September 2016 after three seasons with Kent[9] [10] and academy graduate Sam Weller left without having played for the first XI (he had played 6 First Class matches for Oxford MCCU during his time with Kent).Hardus Viljoen, who had a brief spell with Kent as an overseas player at the end of the 2016 season, signed a Kolpak deal with Derbyshire. Reports suggest that Kent had first refusal on signing Viljoen, but opted not to match Derbyshire's offer.[11]

On the eve of the season Fabian Cowdrey left the club by mutual consent to pursue opportunities outside of cricket.[12] [13]

Adam Ball, Hugh Bernard and Charlie Hartley were released by Kent at the end of the season.[14] [15] Matt Coles also left his home county to join county champions Essex in October.[16]

Arrivals

Having impressed while on loan at the county in 2016, Will Gidman signed a permanent contract with Kent in October 2016 after he was released by Nottinghamshire.[17] [18] Academy wicket-keeper Ollie Robinson made his senior debut for the county in the final match of the 2016–17 Regional Super50 tournament after being called into the touring squad as cover for Adam Rouse with Sam Billings away on England duty.[19] [20] Robinson went on to sign his first professional contract with the club at the end of the season.[21] In March, Kent announced the signing of former England Under 19 captain Joe Weatherley on loan from Hampshire for the 2017 season, although he stayed with the county only for the first half of the season.[22] [23] Middlesex fast bowler James Harris followed as another loan signing in early April, initially for the first three County Championship matches and the first section of the 2017 Royal London One-Day Cup.[24] [25]

On 10 April, Kent announced the signing of South African international left-arm fast bowler Wayne Parnell, who had previously played for the county during the 2009 season, as an overseas player on a short-term contract. Parnell was available to play in the County Championship and Royal London One-Day Cup until he joined up with the South African national team when they began their tour of England in May.[26] [27] New Zealand fast bowler Adam Milne joined the team as an overseas player for the second half of the season after the conclusion of the ICC Champions Trophy that took place in England and Wales during the first half of June[28] [29] and Pakistan leg-spinner Yasir Shah played two County Championship games during the middle of the season.[30] [31] Zealand all-rounder Jimmy Neesham played in the T20 Blast campaign alongside Milne.[32]

Australian-born fast-bowling all-rounder Grant Stewart signed his first professional contract with Kent at the end of August after impressing while on trial with the second XI as well as in the Kent Premier League with Sandwich Town. He holds an EU passport through his Italian mother and was not classed as an overseas player.[33]

Squad list

No.NameNationalityBirth dateBatting styleBowling styleNotes
Batsmen
6 April 7, 2017 Right-handed
9 April 7, 2017 Right-handed On loan from Hampshire (first half of the season)
10 April 7, 2017 Left-handed
16 April 7, 2017 Right-handed
17 April 7, 2017 Right-handed Club captain
23 April 7, 2017 Right-handed
58 April 7, 2017 Right-handed British passport holder
All-rounders
3 April 7, 2017 Right-handed
9 April 7, 2017 Right-handed Signed 30 August
24 April 7, 2017 Right-handed
25 April 7, 2017 Left-handed
26 April 7, 2017 Left-handed
42 April 7, 2017 Left-handed
83 April 7, 2017 Left-handed Overseas player July–August (T20 Blast only)
Wicket-keepers
7 April 7, 2017 Right-handed
12 April 7, 2017 Right-handed
April 7, 2017 Right-handed
Bowlers
4 April 7, 2017 Right-handed On loan from Middlesex (April–May)
5 April 7, 2017 Right-handed
8 April 7, 2017 Left-handed
11 April 7, 2017 Right-handed
14 April 7, 2017 Right-handed
15 April 7, 2017 Left-handed
20 April 7, 2017 Right-handed Overseas player June–September
22 April 7, 2017 Right-handed
27 April 7, 2017 Right-handed
33 April 7, 2017 Right-handed
36 April 7, 2017 Left-handed Overseas player April–early May
86 April 7, 2017 Right-handed Overseas player June–early July

Regional Super50

At the beginning of the year, Kent competed in the 2016–17 Regional Super50, a List A tournament that is part of the West Indian domestic season, after accepting an invitation from the West Indies Cricket Board. The competition took place between 24 January and 18 February. It was the first time that Kent had competed in an overseas competition.

Kent were drawn in Group A, and played two matches against each of the other teams in the group: Leeward Islands, Trinidad and Tobago, Windward Islands and the West Indies under-19 cricket team. Group B included the other three regular teams of West Indian domestic cricket (Barbados, Guyana and Jamaica) and two development sides (Combined Campuses and Colleges and ICC Americas).

Kent began the tournament with a seven wicket loss to the Leeward islands at the Coolidge Cricket Ground in Antigua before consecutive wins against Trinidad and Tobago and Windward Islands.[34] [35] [36] Four consecutive losses saw the county knocked out of the tournament at the group stage before a win in their final match of the competition.[37] The tournament was viewed by Kent as an opportunity for warm weather preparation for the English domestic season.[38] [39]

Matches

County Championship

Kent played 14 County Championship Division Two matches in 2017. The Championship was restructured for 2017, with Division Two having ten teams, leaving the remaining eight counties in Division One instead of the previous nine-nine split. Teams in both divisions played fewer matches than in 2016 (14 instead of 16), meaning that teams in Division Two played five of their rivals twice and the other four teams only once during the season.[40]

Kent's opening fixture was at home against Gloucestershire, starting on 7 April at the St Lawrence Ground, a match they won by 334 runs after bowling Gloucestershire out for a total of 61 in their second innings with Darren Stevens taking 6/22.[41] They played seven home matches in total, five at the St Lawrence Ground and one each at the Nevill Ground in Tunbridge Wells and the County Cricket Ground, Beckenham.[42] One fixture, an away game against Nottinghamshire, was a day–night match, part of an experiment by the England and Wales Cricket Board ahead of the staging of the first UK day–night Test match in August.[43]

Kent started strongly, winning four of their first five matches. However, in a frustrating remainder of the season they failed to win any further matches in the championship and slipped to 5th place in the table. One match, against Derbyshire at Queen's Park, Chesterfield in September, was abandoned as a draw without a ball being bowled due to heavy rain and a wet outfield.[44] As a result the team only played 13 of the scheduled 14 matches.

Matches

Other first-class matches

Kent began the 2017 English cricket season with a three-day University match against Leeds/Bradford MCC University on 28 March and played a three-day match against the touring West Indians at the beginning of August. The fixture against the West Indians formed the centre-piece of the 166th Canterbury Cricket Week.[45]

Royal London One-Day Cup

Kent competed in the South group of the 2017 Royal London One-Day Cup. They played each of the other eight teams in the group once, with all four home games being played at the St Lawrence Ground in Canterbury. A disappointing campaign[46] saw Kent finish bottom of the table, with just a single win against Middlesex. After an early elimination, the starting eleven increasingly featured fringe squad players, particularly in the bowling department, and academy graduate batsman Zak Crawley made his senior debut in the final match against Essex.[47]

Daniel Bell-Drummond had a good tournament, scoring successive centuries against Somerset and Sussex, as well as two half centuries. Alex Blake also scored a century against Somerset, his first in List A cricket, reaching 116 from just 58 balls. Darren Stevens, on his 300th List A appearance, scored a career-high 147 from just 67 deliveries (including 10 fours and 14 sixes) against Glamorgan at Swansea, almost leading Kent to an unlikely victory and setting a new record for Kent's highest individual score in List A cricket.[48]

Matches

NatWest t20 Blast

Kent played in the South group of the 2017 NatWest t20 Blast. The county played 14 matches, facing each team in the group at least once. They played seven home matches, one at County Cricket Ground, Beckenham and the other six at the St Lawrence Ground in Canterbury. In a very tight group, Kent went into the final game against Surrey needing a win to progress to the quarter-finals, but lost by 10 runs.

Joe Denly scored two hundreds during the campaign. In a memorable match at The Oval against Surrey he scored 166 not out as Kent chased a total of 205 to win by eight wickets. Later in the tournament he scored 127 against Essex County Cricket Club at County Ground, Chelmsford as part of a first-wicket stand of 207 runs with Daniel Bell-Drummond. This set records for Kent's Twenty20 highest individual score and partnership and, as of the end of the season, was the highest partnership score for any wicket in T20 cricket in the UK, the third highest anywhere in the world and was a world record for the first wicket.

Adam Milne took five wickets in the fixture against Somerset and recorded Kent's best bowling figures in Twenty20 cricket with 5/11.

Matches

Statistics

Batting

First-class (County Championship, MCCU match and Tour match)!Player!Matches!Innings!!Runs!!!!!!!!
142421,26657.5461.4555315719
132331,01750.8567.263421368
1424098240.9154.552451117
1321382245.6678.732531277
1424156124.3947.50033801
1219253031.1754.47033834
1017031918.7644.74011470
1116230421.7191.29012466
79228741.0078.84011482
58019023.7539.74000290
710318426.2844.12010242
46214636.5048.18000230
57013719.5750.18011202
34113143.6655.27000171
58212120.1651.93012190
1013511113.8771.61003182
23110050.0058.47010160
5837314.6033.9500180
1216565.0053.7100051
2305518.3341.0401070
3514010.0043.4700260
1211515.0043.4500130
11055.0016.1200000
31100.0000000
11000.000.0000100
Source: Cricinfo[49]
List A (Royal London One-Day Cup and Regional Super50)!Player!Matches!Innings!!Runs!!!!!!!!
1616158438.9378.49221513
1313040731.30105.161102724
1616339830.61106.131114210
1515039326.2070.81021278
1414038127.2179.04030335
1412623439.0064.81010143
66019031.6676.61021143
77016323.2878.36001201
1110011111.10115.6200288
95010220.4075.55000100
2209346.5087.7301033
10837014.0075.2600242
6526822.6666.0100151
4425427.00108.0000041
4313417.0060.7100010
4202512.50108.6900021
620189.00112.5000120
7431111.0040.7400020
22177.0046.6600000
43163.0035.2900100
21055.0062.5000000
11022.0020.0000000
22111.0025.0000100
10
Source: CricInfo[50]
Twenty20 (NatWest t20 Blast)!Player!Matches!Innings!!Runs!!!!!!!!
1414156743.61150.792125325
1414246238.50135.08040469
1414336132.81148.550303014
1413234531.36137.450403211
1411420329.00127.67020118
1411411616.57111.5300082
148011314.12124.1700193
8432222.0070.9600010
1150214.20110.5200140
7211919.00126.6600001
7338114.2800000
102063.00150.0000110
1233654.5400000
10
Source: CricInfo[51]

Bowling

First-class (County Championship, MCCU match and Tour match)!Player!Matches!Innings!Overs!Maidens!Runs!Wickets!!!!!!!
1325414.41091,1576318.362.7939.470
1120335.0601,3133241.033.9162.810
1018262.5489362636.003.5660.610
48114.2254001921.053.4936.100
35155.5225331438.073.4266.710
59184.0515721344.003.1084.900
101478.2142791027.903.5647.000
59133.039342938.002.5788.600
141270.311253831.623.5852.800
3571.515264833.003.6753.800
2457.116162723.142.8349.000
7788.020273739.003.1075.400
1229.26124620.664.2229.300
3650.55198633.003.8950.800
2326.0764512.802.4631.200
1221.0563231.503.0063.000
1222.0672236.003.2766.000
1220.0589244.504.4560.000
1411.0010010.0000
Source: CricInfo[52]
List A (Royal London One-Day Cup and Regional Super50)!Player!Matches!Innings!Overs!Maidens!Runs!Wickets!!!!!!
111193.384831728.415.1633.020
9982.074481628.005.4630.710
1313119.355481536.534.5847.800
7764.033641426.005.6827.410
101091.03434854.254.7668.200
6654.03271738.715.0146.200
4431.04184536.805.9337.200
2213.30106426.507.8520.200
4431.02132433.004.2546.500
7425.01140435.005.6037.500
4430.50215453.756.9746.200
6640.53161353.663.9481.600
4430.00198366.006.6060.000
2215.0067167.004.4690.000
2216.0090190.005.6296.000
6318.008604.7700
Source: CricInfo[53]
Twenty20 (NatWest t20 Blast)!Player!Matches!Innings!Overs!Maidens!Runs!Wickets!!!!!!
7725.511871512.467.2310.301
141449.104631433.079.4121.000
121242.003921135.639.3322.900
7724.00184823.007.6618.000
111138.01356844.509.3628.510
101033.00274739.148.3028.200
141218.20159439.758.6727.500
8827.00216454.008.0040.500
1435.0043221.508.6015.000
Source: CricInfo[54]

External links

Notes and References

  1. http://www.kentcricket.co.uk/news/kent-to-play-in-west-indies-super50-as-part-of-fgs-plant-tour Kent to play in West Indies Super50 as part of FGS Plant Tour
  2. 'Matt Walker's Kent embark on a winter Caribbean odyssey', The Cricketer, February 2017. (Available online)
  3. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/38518547 Kent name Matt Walker and Allan Donald as new coaching team
  4. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/39133467 Allan Donald: Kent look for stand-in coach until visa issue resolved
  5. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/39366019 Jason Gillespie: Ex-Yorkshire coach joins Kent as assistant to Matt Walker
  6. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/39762650 Allan Donald: Kent assistant coach unable to join county until 2018
  7. http://www.kentonline.co.uk/canterbury/sport/northeast-retains-kent-captaincy-101920/ Kent Cricket confirm Sam Northeast will continue as captain in 2017
  8. http://www.kentcricket.co.uk/news/denly-davidson-richards-win-players-of-the-year/ Denly & Davidson-Richards win Players of the Year
  9. http://www.kentcricket.co.uk/news/david-griffiths-and-sam-weller-to-leave-kent David Griffiths and Sam Weller to leave Kent
  10. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/37474525 David Griffiths: Fast bowler departs Kent after three seasons
  11. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/38233842 Hardus Viljoen: Derbyshire sign South Africa bowler under Kolpak ruling
  12. http://www.kentonline.co.uk/canterbury/sport/cowdrey-leaves-kent-123087/ All-rounder Fabian Cowdrey brings his time at Kent to a close
  13. Wilson J (2017) Pop goes the cricketer, CricInfo, 2017-04-05. Retrieved 2017-04-14.
  14. Hoad A (2017) Kent all-rounder Adam Ball and seamer Hugh Bernard set for move away from club, Kent Online, 2017-08-29. Retrieved 2017-09-29.
  15. http://www.kentcricket.co.uk/news/charlie-hartley-to-leave-kent/ Charlie Hartley to leave Kent
  16. http://www.skysports.com/cricket/news/12163/11088462/matt-coles-joins-essex-from-kent-on-a-two-year-deal Matt Coles joins County Champions Essex from Kent on a two-year deal
  17. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/37752810 Will Gidman: Kent sign Nottinghamshire all-rounder after loan spell
  18. http://www.kentonline.co.uk/canterbury/sport/gidman-signs-for-kent-114556/ Will Gidman signs for Kent following his release by Nottinghamshire
  19. http://www.kentcricket.co.uk/news/academy-scholar-in-fgs-plant-tour-squad Academy scholar in FGS Plant Tour squad
  20. http://www.kentonline.co.uk/canterbury/sport/academy-scholar-wins-tour-spot-119174/ Kent Cricket Academy scholar Ollie Robinson named in Kent Cricket’s 17-man squad for the FGS Plant Tour to the West Indies
  21. http://www.kentcricket.co.uk/news/robinson-signs-first-pro-contract/ Robinson signs first pro contract
  22. http://www.kentcricket.co.uk/news/joe-weatherley-joins-kent-loan Joe Weatherley joins Kent on loan
  23. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/39266973 Joe Weatherley: Hampshire batsman signs new deal and agrees Kent season-long loan
  24. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/39490263 James Harris: Kent sign Middlesex paceman on loan
  25. http://www.kentonline.co.uk/canterbury/sport/kent-sign-fast-bowler-123473/ Middlesex and former England Lions fast-bowler James Harris joins Kent
  26. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/39555241 Wayne Parnell: South Africa pace bowler re-signs for Kent
  27. http://www.kentonline.co.uk/canterbury/sport/parnell-back-at-kent-123781/ Kent sign South African fast bowler Wayne Parnell
  28. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/40030182 Adam Milne: New Zealand fast bowler to join Kent after Champions Trophy
  29. http://www.kentonline.co.uk/canterbury/sport/walker-hails-world-star-overseas-126109/ Kent sign New Zealand fast bowler Adam Milne as overseas player
  30. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/40164559 Yasir Shah: Pakistan leg-spinner signs for Kent
  31. http://www.kentonline.co.uk/canterbury/sport/kent-sign-second-overseas-star-126762/ Yasir Shah signs for Kent
  32. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/40404552 Jimmy Neesham: New Zealand all-rounder joins Kent for T20 Blast
  33. http://www.kentcricket.co.uk/news/grant-stewart-signs-professional-contract/ Grant Stewart signs professional contract
  34. http://www.espncricinfo.com/super50-2017/content/story/1079556.html Ambris, Matthew help Windwards hold off West Indies U-19s
  35. http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/story/1080218.html Powell, Joseph star as Leeward crush Windward by 184 runs
  36. http://www.espncricinfo.com/super50-2017/content/story/1080453.html T&T flatten West Indies U-19 for 58
  37. http://www.espncricinfo.com/super50-2017/content/story/1082144.html Trinidad & Tobago top Group A with win over Leeward Islands
  38. Hoad A (2016) Kent to play in West Indies' domestic 50-over competition in Antigua in January and February 2017, Kent Online, 2016-11-16. Retrieved 2017-02-13.
  39. Hoad A (2017) Kent Cricket head coach Matt Walker says players have been improved by FGS Plant Tour to Regional Super50 competition in Antigua, Kent Online, 2017-02-22. Retrieved 2017-02-23.
  40. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/38080382 County Championship, One-Day Cup and T20 Blast fixtures announced for 2017
  41. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/39542102 Kent v Gloucestershire: Darren Stevens takes 6-22 in 334-run victory
  42. Hoad A (2017) Kent Spitfires 2017 fixtures, Kent Online, 2016-11-24. Retrieved 2017-01-22.
  43. http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/story/1068221.html ECB reveals details on floodlit Championship
  44. https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/41986519 Chesterfield abandonment: Derbyshire escape punishment over washed-out Kent game
  45. Hoad A (2016) Kent Cricket will host West Indies in a three-day Tour game at Canterbury in August with South Africa A visiting in June, Kent Online, 2016-09-28. Retrieved 2017-01-22.
  46. Hoad A (2017) Kent coach Matt Walker eyeing return to winning ways at Leicestershire in Specsavers County Championship Division 2, Kent Online, 2017-05-19. Retrieved 2017-05-19.
  47. http://www.espncricinfo.com/county-cricket-2017/content/story/1098267.html Essex top group to secure semi-final berth
  48. http://www.espncricinfo.com/county-cricket-2017/content/story/1097778.html Stevens 147 off 67 but loses in six-hitting frenzy
  49. Web site: Season 2017 - Kent / Records / First-class matches / Most runs . ESPNcricinfo . ESPN Sports Media . 4 October 2017 .
  50. http://stats.espncricinfo.com/kent/engine/records/batting/most_runs_career.html?class=5;id=2017;team=1149;type=year Season 2017 - Kent / Records / List A matches / Most runs
  51. http://stats.espncricinfo.com/kent/engine/records/batting/most_runs_career.html?class=6;id=2017;team=1149;type=year Season 2017 - Kent / Records / Twenty20 matches / Most runs
  52. http://stats.espncricinfo.com/kent/engine/records/bowling/most_wickets_career.html?class=4;id=2017;team=1149;type=season Season 2017 - Kent / Records / First-class matches / Most wickets
  53. http://stats.espncricinfo.com/kent/engine/records/bowling/most_wickets_career.html?class=5;id=2017;team=1149;type=year Season 2017 - Kent / Records / List A matches / Most wickets
  54. http://stats.espncricinfo.com/kent/engine/records/bowling/most_wickets_career.html?class=6;id=2017;team=1149;type=year Season 2017 - Kent / Records / Twenty20 matches / Most wickets