Kent appoint Billings as captain

The 26-year-old Kent Cricket Academy graduate will lead his boyhood club in all formats, succeeding Sam Northeast as the 35th captain in the club’s 148-year history

^{Sam Billings is the 35th captain of Kent}

Kent have appointed England’s white-ball wicketkeeper-batsman Sam Billings as their captain for 2018.

Billings – who is currently in Australia with England – will lead the county in all formats, replacing Sam Northeast as captain.

The 26-year-old Kent Cricket Academy graduate will lead his boyhood club in all formats, succeeding Sam Northeast as the 35th captain in the club’s 148-year history.

Billings said: “I am incredibly proud and honoured to have been offered the Kent captaincy. It means a lot personally as I have been involved at Kent since I was eight years of age.

“We have a very talented group of players and I am really looking forward to working with all the players and the coaching staff to help take the club forward. It will be challenging but I am very excited by the opportunity.”

^{Billings is a product of the Kent Cricket Academy and an England white-ball international}

Chairman of cricket Graham Johnson said: “With Sam Billings at the helm we have someone who shares the pride in our tradition and excitement about our ambitions.

“We are in discussion with a number of players who are keen to join Kent and we will be reinforcing the squad with a number of recruits before the season starts.”

“The club has granted Sam Northeast permission to talk to other clubs. Sam has opted not to sign a contract extension and we have reluctantly accepted his request to talk to other clubs despite our best efforts to convince him to commit his future to the club.”