Rob Key re-appointed captain for 2015 season

Tuesday 21st October 2014

Men’s First Team

Rob Key re-appointed captain for 2015 season

Kent Cricket have re-appointed Rob Key as their captain for the 2015 campaign.

Key said: “I am delighted to be re-appointed Kent captain for 2015. It is an honour to lead the club at such an exciting time on and off the field.

“The young lads coming through our Academy are playing an increasing role and it’s great to see Kentish guys Adam Riley and Sam Billings get England recognition this winter and I hope there’s a few more in contention in our dressing room.”

The 35-year-old made his Kent first-class debut in 1998 after helping England win the Under-19 World Cup.

He was appointed captain in 2006 and led the county to a Twenty20 Cup triumph at Edgbaston in 2008.

After seven years as skipper, the opener stood down in 2012 to allow James Tredwell to take over for a season before returning to the role in 2014.

In 2014, Key was Kent’s top-scorer in the Natwest T20 Blast with 384 runs at an average of 34.91 and a strike rate of 152.99. He continues to be one of the most highly regarded captains in domestic cricket.

Chairman of cricket Graham Johnson said: “Rob is a stand-out captain both for Kent and in comparison to his peers at other counties. 2014 has shown the potential of our talented, largely home-grown squad.

“I know Rob is keen that the potential is developed to a higher level in 2015 and there was unanimity in the decision to ask him to lead that development.

“He captains as a true Club Captain, is very aware of all aspects of the club and conscious of a rising expectation from all who follow Kent, having seen the possibilities in 2014.”

Unlike many counties, the captaincy is appointed on a season-by-season basis and both the club's cricket and general committee's endorsed the decision for Rob to continue in the role.

FIRST CLASS RECORD

286 matches, 493 innings, 18,461 runs, average 40.48, top score 270 not out, 52 centuries, 71 x 50s.

LIST A RECORD

225 matches, 218 innings, 6,469 runs, average 32.18, top score 144 not out, 8 centuries, 37 x 50s.

T20 RECORD

98 matches, 98 innings, 2,239 runs, average 25.73 at 124.59 runs per 100 balls, 13 x 50s.

KENT COUNTY CRICKET CLUB CAPTAINS

1871–1889 Lord Harris
1890–1893 Frank Marchant and William Patterson
1894–1897 Frank Marchant
1897–1902 Jack Mason
1903 Cuthbert Burnup
1904–1908 C. H. B. Marsham
1909–1913 Ted Dillon
1914–1923 Lionel Troughton
1924–1926 Stanley Cornwallis
1927 John Evans
1928–1930 Geoffrey Legge
1931–1935 Percy Chapman and Bryan Valentine
1936 Percy Chapman, Ian Akers-Douglas and Bryan Valentine
1937 Ronald Bryan and Bryan Valentine
1938–1939 Gerry Chalk
1946–1948 Bryan Valentine
1949–1951 David Clark
1952–1953 William Murray-Wood
1954–1956 Doug Wright
1957–1971 Colin Cowdrey
1972–1976 Mike Denness
1977 Asif Iqbal
1978–1980 Alan Ealham
1981–1982 Asif Iqbal
1983–1984 Chris Tavaré
1985–1990 Chris Cowdrey
1991–1996 Mark Benson
1997–1998 Steve Marsh
1999–2001 Matthew Fleming
2002–2005 David Fulton
2006–2012 Robert Key
2013 James Tredwell
2014 to date Robert Key