New role for Jack Leaning after signing fresh Kent contract

Now the club's vice-captain, he will lead in the One-Day Cup and deputise for Daniel Bell-Drummond and Sam Billings in the County Championship and T20 Blast, respectively. Additionally, the 30-year-old has signed a new deal to the 2026 season

Jack Leaning has been installed as Kent's new club vice-captain and will lead officially in the One-Day Cup from next season.

The 30-year-old has also committed himself to the club until the end of the 2026 season.

Now the deputy for new club skipper Daniel Bell-Drummond, who was appointed in October, in the County Championship and Sam Billings in the T20 Blast, he replaces Joe Denly in the 50-over competition permanently in the event he is not signed up for The Hundred (he was part of the Oval Invincibles' 2022 squad but was unused).

Leaning led Spitfires for much of last season's One-Day Cup before Denly returned to the side for the final games of their title defence.

^{Daniel Bell-Drummond and Sam Billings will lead Kent in the County Championship and T20 Blast, respectively (Harry Trump/Getty Images)}

Since arriving from Yorkshire in 2019, he has amassed 118 appearances across formats (32 of them as captain), scoring over 4,000 runs and contributing 51 wickets with his right-arm off-spin.

"I now feel right at home here – I've loved every second of my four seasons as a Spitfire so far, and I'm already looking forward to getting underway for 2024 and beyond.

"These past few weeks, I've spent a lot of time with both my teammates for winter training but also with the guys in the club office, seeing how we as players can contribute towards more off-field success as well as on it.

"Together we’re an extremely ambitious Club and want to remain right up there with the Test-hosting counties."

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