Martin van Jaarsveld and Joe Denly leave Kent County Cricket Club

Kent County Cricket Club has today announced that Martin van Jaarsveld and Joe Denly will be leaving the Club.

Martin van Jaarsveld joined Kent, having previously played for South Africa, in 2005 and was awarded his County Cap the same year. He played 110 first class matches for Kent, scoring 8028 runs at an average of 46.67, in addition he held 189 catches. In one day and Twenty20 cricket he scored 5431 runs. Van Jaarsveld had one year left on his contract, but requested to be released a year early. He leaves the Club to join Leicestershire.

Martin van Jaarsveld said, “I would like to thank everyone at Kent for the opportunity I have been given in county cricket over the last 7 seasons. I have poured everything I have had into trying to score runs and win games for the county during this time, but now it is time for a new challenge which I hope will reignite my passion for the game and allow me to recapture my best form.”

Joe Denly also first played for Kent in 2005, having worked his way through the Kent Young Cricketers and Academy system. Opening the batting for the Club, mostly with captain Rob Key, Denly scored 4658 first class runs at an average of 35.02 in 79 matches, 1723 Twenty20 runs at 28.24 and 2046 one day cricket runs at 34.10. Joe achieved international recognition in 2009 when selected for the England one-day side. He leaves Kent to join Middlesex.

Joe Denly commented, “A large part of me is very sad to be leaving Kent. As a local lad who’s come through the system I expected to play my whole career here. This is an important stage of my career, however, and I’m really excited about the move to Middlesex, who are a club on the up as shown by their recent promotion to Division One of the Championship. I’m committed to becoming the best player I can possibly be and firmly believe that the environment at Middlesex will help me achieve that and one day resurrect my prospects at international level. I’d like to thank everyone at Kent, particularly my captain Rob Key, for the support I’ve received over the last 8 years – and who knows what the future holds, I’d certainly never rule out a return to the Club one day.”

Commenting on the departure of the two players Chairman of Cricket, Graham Johnson, said; “We are sad to see both players leave the Club. They have contributed a great deal both on and off the field.”

“Martin approached the Club at the end of the season with a desire to be released from contract and after much consideration the Club decided to agree to that request. Joe developed through the Kent system, indeed he was the first ‘product’ of the Kent Cricket Academy. The Club had hoped to keep him, but he decided it was time for a fresh challenge.”

“We wish both players well as they move on and thank them for their efforts for the county.”

Photos by Sarah Ansell SarahCanterbury.com