Gloucestershire hand Dent new contract and make batsman captain for 2018

Chris Dent, a product of the youth development system in Bristol, has penned a deal which will keep him at the Brightside Ground until at least the end of the 2020 summer

^{Chris Dent is the new Gloucestershire captain}

Gloucestershire have handed a two-year contract extension to Chris Dent and made the batsman their new captain.

Dent, a product of the youth development system in Bristol, has penned a deal which will keep him at the Brightside Ground until at least the end of the 2020 summer.

He will lead Gloucestershire in both the County Championship and Royal London One-Day Cup, taking over from Gareth Roderick.

"It's always a proud moment to sign a contract extension but even more so when it's with the club I have grown up at and is so close to the hearts of me and my family," said Dent.

"I look forward to spending the next three years playing for Gloucestershire and know that my two boys will also grow to love this fantastic club and have lasting memories of their time at the Brightside Ground, just like I did growing up."

CHRIS DENT: CAREER STATS

First class: 114 matches, 202 innings, 6,991 runs, ave 38.20, 13 100s, 43 50s

List A: 55 matches, 50 innings, 1,334 runs, ave 29.00, 3 100s, 2 50s

T20: 49 matches, 43 innings, 725 runs, s/r 116.37, ave 20.13

"I'm excited and proud to have the opportunity to captain Gloucestershire and have been lucky enough to learn from many fantastic captains over my eight playing years.  I hope to bring a mixture of my own qualities and the qualities that I have learnt from these captains to lead the team positively throughout the season."

The 27-year-old has made 228 appearances for his county since making his debut for the club in a Pro40 clash with Nottinghamshire in 2009.

He has accumulated 9,050 runs across cricket's three formats, as well as collecting 25 wickets.

Gloucestershire head coach Richard Dawson said: "It is fantastic news that Chris has signed a contract extension at the club. He has improved year on year to become a high class top order batsman and a vital and well-respected member of the club, having come through the academy system.

"This has meant it is an ideal opportunity for him to take on more responsibility at the club and therefore he will lead the team as captain in the four-day and 50-over competition."

^{Dent has signed a contract extension}