10 facts about Matt Coles

The Maidstone-born all-rounder returned to Kent this week. Elliot Mulley-Goodbarne presents ten facts you may not know about Matt Coles…

1. Matt's full name is Matthew Thomas Coles and he turns 25 on Tuesday 26 May, day three of the LV= County Championship game versus Surrey at The County Ground, Beckenham.

2. In the NatWest T20 Blast last year, he scored 175 runs in 11 innings at an average of 19.44 and a strike rate of 157.65.

3. His top score was 54 from 22 balls against Essex at The Ageas Bowl included three fours and five sixes.

4. In 2014, Matt Coles scored 251 first-class runs in 18 innings with a top score of 83.

5. Coles took 41 first-class wickets at an average of 28.41 and an economy rate of 3.29

6. He attended Maplesden Noakes School and also the Maidstone Cricket Academy before joining the Kent Cricket Academy in 2006 where he played alongside six current Kent first teamers: Adam Ball, Daniel Bell-Drummond, Alex Blake, Sam Billings, Fabian Cowdrey and Adam Riley.

7. Matt grew up playing for Kent, moving through the age groups he played for the under 13s, under 15s, and under 17s and got into the second XI in 2007 aged just 17.

8. He made his first class debut against Loughborough UCCE in 2009 but didn’t have a chance to bat or bowl as the match was a wash-out.

9. He has scored a total of 1,296 runs in 55 first class games at an average of 21.24

10. Matt played three times for the England Lions after being selected to tour Australia in 2012/13 after taking 74 wickets in the 2012 season.