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.Kent to play in West Indies Super50 as part of FGS Plant Tour, Kent County Cricket Club, 16 November 2016. Retrieved 21 January 2017. This was the first time that any English county had competed in an overseas domestic competition.'Matt Walker's Kent embark on a winter Caribbean odyssey', The Cricketer, February 2017. (Available online ) 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.Kent name Matt Walker and Allan Donald as new coaching team, BBC Sport, 5 January 2017. Retrieved 21 January 2017. 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.Allan Donald: Kent look for stand-in coach until visa issue resolved, BBC Sport, 5 January 2017. Retrieved 21 January 2017. 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.Jason Gillespie: Ex-Yorkshire coach joins Kent as assistant to Matt Walker, BBC Sport, 23 March 2017. Retrieved 23 March 2017. It was later announced that Donald would not be joining up with Kent until 2018.Allan Donald: Kent assistant coach unable to join county until 2018, BBC Sport, 30 April 2017. Retrieved 1 May 2017. Sam Northeast retained the club captaincy for a second season.Kent Cricket confirm Sam Northeast will continue as captain in 2017, Kent Online, 5 September 2016. Retrieved 21 March 2017.

Joe Denly won the club's Player of the Year award, having scored over 1,895 runs across all formats.Denly & Davidson-Richards win Players of the Year, Kent County Cricket Club, 29 September 2017. Retrieved 2 October 2017.

Squad

Departures Fast bowler David Griffiths left the club at the end of his contract in September 2016 after three seasons with KentDavid Griffiths and Sam Weller to leave Kent , Kent County Cricket Club, 27 September 2016. Retrieved 21 January 2017.David Griffiths: Fast bowler departs Kent after three seasons, BBC Sport, 26 September 2016. Retrieved 21 January 2017. 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.Hardus Viljoen: Derbyshire sign South Africa bowler under Kolpak ruling, BBC Sport, 7 December 2016. Retrieved 21 January 2017.

On the eve of the season Fabian Cowdrey left the club by mutual consent to pursue opportunities outside of cricket.All-rounder Fabian Cowdrey brings his time at Kent to a close, Kent Online, 28 March 2017. Retrieved 28 March 2017.Wilson J (2017) Pop goes the cricketer, CricInfo, 5 April 2017. Retrieved 14 April 2017.

Adam Ball, Hugh Bernard and Charlie Hartley were released by Kent at the end of the season.Hoad, Alex (2017). Kent all-rounder Adam Ball and seamer Hugh Bernard set for move away from club, Kent Online, 29 August 2017. Retrieved 29 September 2017.Charlie Hartley to leave Kent, Kent County Cricket Club, 29 September 2017. Retrieved 2 October 2017. Matt Coles also left his home county to join county champions Essex in October.Matt Coles joins County Champions Essex from Kent on a two-year deal, Sky Sports, 28 October 2017. Retrieved 30 October 2017.

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.Will Gidman: Kent sign Nottinghamshire all-rounder after loan spell, BBC Sport, 24 October 2016. Retrieved 21 January 2017.Will Gidman signs for Kent following his release by Nottinghamshire, Kent Online, 24 October 2016. Retrieved 21 January 2017. 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.Academy scholar in FGS Plant Tour squad, Kent County Cricket Club, 19 January 2017. Retrieved 12 February 2017.Kent Cricket Academy scholar Ollie Robinson named in Kent Cricket’s 17-man squad for the FGS Plant Tour to the West Indies, Kent Online, 19 January 2017. Retrieved 12 February 2017. Robinson went on to sign his first professional contract with the club at the end of the season.Robinson signs first pro contract, Kent County Cricket Club, 29 September 2017. Retrieved 2 October 2017. 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.Joe Weatherley joins Kent on loan , Kent County Cricket Club, 14 March 2017. Retrieved 14 March 2017.Joe Weatherley: Hampshire batsman signs new deal and agrees Kent season-long loan, BBC Sport, 14 March 2017. Retrieved 14 March 2017. 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.James Harris: Kent sign Middlesex paceman on loan, BBC Sport, 4 April 2017. Retrieved 4 April 2017.Middlesex and former England Lions fast-bowler James Harris joins Kent, Kent Online, 4 April 2017. Retrieved 4 April 2017.

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.Wayne Parnell: South Africa pace bowler re-signs for Kent, BBC Sport, 10 April 2017. Retrieved 10 April 2017.Kent sign South African fast bowler Wayne Parnell, Kent Online, 10 April 2017. Retrieved 10 April 2017. 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 JuneAdam Milne: New Zealand fast bowler to join Kent after Champions Trophy, BBC Sport, 24 May 2017. Retrieved 6 June 2017.Kent sign New Zealand fast bowler Adam Milne as overseas player, Kent Online, 24 May 2017. Retrieved 24 May 2017. and Pakistan leg-spinner Yasir Shah played two County Championship games during the middle of the season.Yasir Shah: Pakistan leg-spinner signs for Kent, BBC Sport, 5 June 2017. Retrieved 6 June 2017.Yasir Shah signs for Kent, Kent Online, 5 June 2017. Retrieved 6 June 2017. Zealand all-rounder Jimmy Neesham played in the T20 Blast campaign alongside Milne.Jimmy Neesham: New Zealand all-rounder joins Kent for T20 Blast, BBC Sport, 26 June 2017. Retrieved 26 June 2017.

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.Grant Stewart signs professional contract, Kent County Cricket Club, 30 August 2017. Retrieved 31 August 2017.

Squad list Ages given as of the first day of the 2017 County Championship season, 7 April 2017. No. Name Nationality Birth date Batting style Bowling style Notes Batsmen6 Joe Denly Right-handed Right arm leg break 9 Joe Weatherley Right-handed Right arm off break On loan from Hampshire (first half of the season)10 Alex Blake Left-handed Right arm medium-fast 16 Zak Crawley Right-handed Right arm medium 17 Sam Northeast Right-handed Right arm off break Club captain23 Daniel Bell-Drummond Right-handed Right arm medium 58 Sean Dickson Right-handed Right arm medium British passport holder All-rounders3 Darren Stevens Right-handed Right arm medium 9 Grant Stewart Right-handed Right arm medium Signed 30 August24 Adam Ball Right-handed Left arm fast-medium 25 Calum Haggett Left-handed Right arm medium-fast 26 Matt Coles Left-handed Right arm fast-medium 42 Will Gidman Left-handed Right arm medium 83 Jimmy Neesham Left-handed Right arm medium Overseas player July–August (T20 Blast only) Wicket-keepers7 Sam Billings Right-handed — 12 Adam Rouse Right-handed — – Ollie Robinson Right-handed — Bowlers4 James Harris Right-handed Right arm medium-fast On loan from Middlesex (April–May)5 Ivan Thomas Right-handed Right arm medium-fast 8 Mitchell Claydon Left-handed Right arm medium-fast 11 Imran Qayyum Right-handed Slow left-arm orthodox 14 Matt Hunn Right-handed Right arm fast-medium 15 James Tredwell Left-handed Right arm off break 20 Adam Milne Right-handed Right arm fast Overseas player June–September22 Charlie Hartley Right-handed Right arm medium-fast 27 Hugh Bernard Right-handed Right arm medium-fast 33 Adam Riley Right-handed Right arm off break 36 Wayne Parnell Left-handed Left arm fast Overseas player April–early May86 Yasir Shah Right-handed Leg spin 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 teams (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.Ambris, Matthew help Windwards hold off West Indies U-19s, CricInfo, 25 January 2017. Retrieved 26 January 2017.Powell, Joseph star as Leeward crush Windward by 184 runs, CricInfo, 29 January 2017. Retrieved 1 February 2017.T&T flatten West Indies U-19 for 58, CricInfo, 31 January 2017. Retrieved 1 February 2017. 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.Trinidad & Tobago top Group A with win over Leeward Islands, CricInfo, 12 February 2017. Retrieved 13 February 2017. The tournament was viewed by Kent as an opportunity for warm weather preparation for the English domestic season.Hoad, Alex (2016). Kent to play in West Indies' domestic 50-over competition in Antigua in January and February 2017, Kent Online, 16 November 2016. Retrieved 13 February 2017.Hoad, Alex (2017). Kent Cricket head coach Matt Walker says players have been improved by FGS Plant Tour to Regional Super50 competition in Antigua, Kent Online, 22 February 2017. Retrieved 23 February 2017.

Group A

Matches

County Championship