All-rounder Stewart out to impress

All-rounder Grant Stewart is looking to break into county cricket after making his mark as a regular member of the Second XI this season, writes Peter Burrowes.

The 23-year-old has taken 29 competitive Second XI wickets with his medium pace bowling, with two four-wicket hauls in a Championship match against Essex at Polo Farm.

He will be looking to add to that tally when the Second XI play Essex in a four-day friendly fixture at the County Ground, Beckenham, starting on Bank Holiday Monday, August 28.

Australian-born Stewart is now qualified to play county cricket through his mother’s Italian ancestry and he received British citizenship this year.

A qualified civil engineer, the man from New South Wales is a close friend of Kent’s popular Aussie seamer Mitch Claydon, and they played grade cricket together Down Under.

He came to England last year and played for HSBC and this season, when not playing for Kent Seconds, now opens the bowling with Matt Hunn for Sandwich Town in the Shepherd Neame Kent Cricket League.

He has been equally prolific, taking 28 wickets and scoring more than 700 runs for them and also helps out with coaching at The Butts.

“I really enjoy playing for Kent and Sandwich and being around the club and would dearly love to have a chance to play at senior level.

“Everybody has been very welcoming since I arrived and Mitch has been a great help and supporter to me.”

Grant is happy with his bowling this season but would like to have scored a few more runs.

“I have managed to pick up a few wickets  and hopefully I have shown my potential to impress the coaching staff at the club.”

He has enjoyed a competitive Shepherd Neame Premier League title challenge with his club Sandwich Town taking on Bexley and Beckenham.

With Kent colleague Adam Riley playing for Bexley and teammates Alex Blake and Ollie Robinson at Beckenham there is plenty of friendly rivalry.