Did You Know...
My earliest cricketing memory is
My Dad tying my right arm behind my back in the garden, just to stop me from hitting it into next doors garden! “What was he thinking?!"
My favourite sportsperson is
Michael Jordan
The teams I support in other sports are
Leicester City, West Ham & now Crystal Palace
My favourite colour is
Blue
My favourite food is
Thai
My favourite musical artist is
U2/Coldplay
My favourite film is
Shawshank Redemption
A hobby/interest I have outside of cricket is
Golf
My party trick is
Pouring candle wax on my tongue
My proudest cricketing moment is
Receiving my County Cap
Darren Stevens
Retired Shirt Number (3), Men's Cap 200
| Bat | Right-hand | Bowl | Right-arm medium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Born | 30th April 1976 (in Leicester) | National Team Eligibility | England |
| Years of Service | 2005-2022 | Debut | vs. Hampshire, 2005 |
| Nickname(s) | Stevo, Dazzler, Dazzer | Capped | 2005 (200) |
| Local Club | St Lawrence & Highland Court CC | Shirt Sponsor | - |
Other Teams
Derbyshire, Leicestershire
Overseas Teams
Comilla Victorians (Bangladesh), Dhaka Gladiators (Bangladesh), Kala Bagan (Bangladesh), Mid West Rhinos (Zimbabwe), Otago (New Zealand)
Player Biography
Darren Stevens joined Kent in 2005 & made his debut in a 50-over match against Derbyshire, in a team that included current Head Coach Matt Walker, and current Bowling Coach, Simon Cook.
A fan favourite, Darren earned cult hero status in Canterbury because of his cheery nature and evergreen performances. Debuts in all three formats came in 2005, and he was part of the 2007 Twenty20 Cup winning team.
First-class best bowling figures of 8-75 came against his former county, Leicestershire, and in List-A cricket, he ravaged Surrey in 2018, finishing with figures of 6-25 as Kent went on to lose to Hampshire in the final at Lord’s.
‘Stevo’ was due to leave Kent after the 2019 season, but 36-wickets in his last five Championship games, accompanied by a career best score of 237 against Yorkshire at Headingley secured a one-year extension for the 2020 season.
The 2020 season was frustrating for everyone, but Darren, then 44-years-young, took it in his stride and took 20 wickets at just 19.7 in the newly created Bob Willis Trophy.
His 800th wicket came against Hampshire in the Bob Willis Trophy, as he removed Lewis McManus, caught behind by Ollie Robinson. Darren’s first-class career started before teammate Ollie was born. A one-year extensions was announced before the final game against Hampshire.
After his performances in 2020, Stevens was named as one of Wisden’s Five Cricketers of the Year going into 2021 – the 30th Kent star to receive such an accolade.
In 2021, Stevens became one of two Kent stars that have won a T20 trophy with Kent as a player, being a part of the side that won the Vitality Blast at Edgbaston on 18 September.
He was also named Men’s Player of the Year by Kent’s Members and supporters in 2021, an accolade that he retained from the 2019 and 2020 seasons, too.
After confirming that his Kent playing career would come to an end following the conclusion of the 2022 season, Stevens was part of the Spitfires side to lift the Royal London Cup at Trent Bridge in what would be his final match as a Kent cricketer.
He wore shirt number 3 for the entirety of his Kent career, and the shirt number was formally retired on Day Two of Kent’s final home match of the 2022 season against Somerset, named ‘Stevo Day’.
In all, he represented Kent on 643 occasions, scoring 22,506 runs, taking 864 wickets, and winning three trophies.