Kent have confirmed the two players who will share captaincy duties in their Metro Bank One-Day Cup campaign this summer.
With all-rounder Grant Stewart having sustained a thigh injury in the field on the first day of their County Championship Division 2 draw against leaders Leicestershire in Canterbury last week, wicketkeeper-batsman Harry Finch will skipper Spitfires for their first few matches.
Italian international Stewart will take over the role once he’s fully fit, having been named captain against Leicestershire due to original red-ball skipper Daniel Bell-Drummond’s knee injury.
Finch and Stewart are expected to play multiple matches in the 50-over competition as the 2022 winners aim to reclaim the One-Day Cup crown.
Director of cricket Simon Cook said: “Grant has stepped into the captaincy fold really well over the past couple of weeks and we’ve been impressed by his leadership.
“We’re lucky to now have more players taking on senior roles in the squad and Finchy is another player that has become a senior figure in the dressing room.
“We hope that the experience of captaining the side this August will continue their development into leadership roles amongst the wider squad.”
Finch, released from Sussex in 2020, has developed into an integral part of Kent’s squad after initially being drafted into their ranks in 2021 and 2022 to cover injuries and Covid absences before he penned a professional contract in October 2022.
He and Stewart both played in the 21-run One-Day Cup final triumph against Lancashire at Trent Bridge in September 2022 when the latter returned figures of 3-42.
Kent have also confirmed Adam Hollioake will continue his head coach role during the Metro Bank One-Day Cup this summer.
While Hollioake’s predecessor, Matt Walker, had been at The Hundred competition, initially Cook – and then second-team coach Mark Dekker – had taken the helm in recent years.
Kent will start their One-Day Cup campaign against Sussex Sharks on Thursday and welcome Durham to Beckenham this Sunday.
They then take on Warwickshire at Rugby School next Wednesday.
