Joe Denly appointed vice-captain
Saturday 31st March 2018
Joe Denly has been appointed men’s vice-captain for the 2018 season, deputising for skipper Sam Billings for the start of the season.
The Kent Cricket Academy graduate will lead the side for the start of the Specsavers County Championship season.
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The 32-year-old said: “My role will be to support Sam Billings in looking after the team and while he is away, I’ll be captain and it’s a good opportunity for the lads to take responsibility for their skills and share ownership.
“I really enjoyed the captaincy in Antigua. I was a little nervous about what sort of response I’d get but the lads were fantastic. They showed a great attitude throughout the FGS Plant Tour both in training and matches.
“If I had any doubts, they were cleared by the experience. I’ll try to be myself. I want to be approachable, to get everyone involved and pushing in the same direction.
“I’m sure I’ll tap into the experience of the coaches and senior players but I know there are a lot of good ideas from our younger players like Daniel Bell-Drummond and Sean Dickson.”
After a stellar 2017 season, Denly is aiming to repeat a prolific summer with the bat that earned him the Batsman and Player of the Year trophies.
Kent’s number six said: “A lot of my focus will be on the captaincy and the team but my batting is still a big part of my job.
“I don’t feel the responsibility brings any added pressure and I’ll be looking to score as many, if not more, runs as last year.”
Denly has been away most of the winter with stints in Bangladesh, Australia, West Indies, United Arab Emirates and Pakistan.
He said: “It’s been a busy winter but I’ve had a few days off since returning from the Pakistan Super League and I’m feeling pretty good and looking forward to the new season.
“We’ll be looking to get some time in the middle at The Spitfire Ground and play positively.”