New Kent head coach Adam Hollioake has got to work with several members of his first-team squad for the first time.
Captain Daniel Bell-Drummond, vice-captain Jack Leaning, Joey Evison, Harry Finch, Marcus O’Riordan, Matt Parkinson, Matt Quinn and Grant Stewart made the journey to Mumbai, India – a Kent trip supported by Kent College – to work in a warm-weather climate in preparation for the new county season.
Joined by a number of club coaches and training near the Wankhede Stadium, as they got their first taste of Hollioake’s coaching, the majority of the players who have travelled remained in Kent this winter, working on fitness programmes.
They will now be working on their batting and on building up bowling workloads before they return ahead of three pre-season matches at Canterbury’s Spitfire Ground.
Two warm-up two-day red-ball games against Sussex and Essex will be held on March 23 and March 24, and March 27 and March 28, respectively.
They will be followed by a three-day university match against Loughborough UCCE, beginning on Sunday, March 30, at the same venue.
Meanwhile, former Kent and England all-rounder Richard Ellison will be Kent’s club president for 2026.
Ellison, who made more than 300 appearances for the county across two decades and earned 25 caps for his country, will succeed vice-admiral Sir Tim Laurence at the end of this calendar year.
A huge supporter of developing aspiring young players, Ellison will use his tenure as president to champion Kent’s Regional Development Programme.
“It’s a huge honour to be president of our great club and I’m excited to be involved with my home county once more,” said Willesborough-born Ellison.
“We have a long history of producing great male and female cricketers, many of whom have reached the international stage, and I’m passionate about helping to nurture the next generation of Kent cricketers during my presidency next year.”
Chairman Jamie Clifford said: “Elly was a hugely popular figure during his playing days for Kent and England and I’ve no doubt his appointment as president for 2026 will be warmly welcomed by members and supporters alike.
“His passion for developing the game at grassroots level in Kent provides a strong focus for 2026.
“We’ve laid important foundations this winter by reshaping the men’s and women’s KCRDP and, with his guiding hand, we will continue to build predominantly homegrown Kent teams – that can compete with pride and ambition for honours in a Kent shirt.”
Ellison scored more than 6,000 runs and took in excess of 570 wickets in his county career before he retired in 1994 and became head of cricket at Millfield School.
He nurtured the careers of future Kent star Bell-Drummond and other first-class players there, such as Somerset’s Archie Vaughan and wicketkeeper Craig Kieswetter.
