Kent face tough task of maintaining top-tier status after nine years away

COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW: They will rely on a solid start from Daniel Bell-Drummond and Matt Renshaw, and there will be plenty of focus on Sam Billings and Joe Denly (though both have IPL commitments which take them out of the early season)

Ins: Matt Renshaw (overseas), Matt Milnes (Notts), Fred Klaassen (Netherlands, EU passport), Jordan Cox

Outs: James Tredwell, Will Gidman, Matt Hunn (all retired)

Fixture list: April 5 - Somerset (a); April 11 - Warwickshire (a); May 14 - Yorkshire (h); May 20 - Surrey (h - Beckenham); May 27 - Essex (a); June 10 - Somerset (h); June 17 - Nottinghamshire (h - Tunbridge Wells); June 30 - Warwickshire (h); July 7 - Surrey (a); July 13 - Hampshire (a); August 18 - Essex (h); September 10 - Nottinghamshire (a); September 16 - Yorkshire (a); September 23 - Hampshire (h)

Remind me what happened last year?

Promotion. Kent returned to Division One after a nine-year absence at the end of an excellent season for the county. Propelled by the wicket-taking antics of New Zealand import Matt Henry, they finished just behind Warwickshire in the standings and comfortably saw off their nearest rivals for a promotion spot, Sussex, by 35 points.

Henry returned 75 wickets at a ludicrously tight average of 15.48, the Blackcap proving himself to be far too good for Division Two by scalping the vast majority of batting line-ups which came up against him.

Regardless of helpful conditions, Henry claimed five five-wicket hauls and spiked 10 in a match on three occasions. Opposing sides were bowled out for less than 200 runs on 13 occasions and for less than 100 on four. Middlesex were skittled for 56 at Lord’s. Kent won 10 games out of 14, more than any other club bar Surrey across the Championship’s two divisions in 2018. It was a good year.

^{The 2019 Kent squad}

What’s happened over the winter?

Former chief executive Ben Green left the club in December, just a matter of weeks after it had been announced that he would be stepping into the position of operations director. Thankfully for the club, there has been less confusion from a playing perspective and head coach Matt Walker has had a clear run at the new campaign. There was one emotional goodbye.

James Tredwell, the former England international spinner, called time on his career at the age of 36. He retires with 613 first-team appearances and 830 wickets for Kent to his name. "I feel very grateful to have been able to represent both my county and my country during my career," he said. "I have had some great times on and off the cricket field but now it's time for both me and the club to move on."

VISIT THE COUNTY HUB: Your one-stop shop for English domestic cricket

Who’s arrived and who’s left?

There’ll be no Matt Henry in 2019, and Kent will need to replace his wicket-taking potential from somewhere, but whether their bowling recruits - young seamer Matt Milnes, who had only played six games for Nottinghamshire, and the tall left-arm Dutch international Fred Klaassen - adequately replace what has gone is up for debate.

Kent have, however, strengthened the top of their batting lineup with the acquisition of Australia international Matt Renshaw.

Renshaw, who has played 11 Tests for the Aussies, seriously impressed during a stint with Somerset last season - bagging 513 runs in 11 innings at an average of 51.30. Of players to have batted in at least 10 innings in Division One last season only two others - Ollie Pope and Rory Burns of Surrey - returned better averages.

Can Darren Stevens be as effective in Division One as he has been in Division Two?

Who will be the key men in 2019?

It will be intriguing to see whether Darren Stevens can continue to pick up cheap wickets as regularly a division up. At 42, Stevens signed a one-year contract to play until the end of 2019 and his 65mph warblers have been outfoxing Division Two batsmen for what seems like an eternity.

What can we expect from this team this season?

It won’t be easy for Kent. Having only managed 16 batting bonus points in 2019, they will rely on being given a solid start by Daniel Bell-Drummond and Matt Renshaw, and there will be plenty of focus on Sam Billings and Joe Denly (though both have IPL commitments which take them out of the early season).

Wickets are unlikely to come as easily as they did with Henry in the side a level below, too.

Prediction: 8th