Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Patel to lead Kent second string
BUMPER TURNOUT FOR TREDDERS AS BENEFIT YEAR STARTS Kent cricket
The great and the good of Kent Cricket gathered on Thursday to attend a lunch to launch of James Tredwell’s benefit year. The England spinner, who turns 35 next month, is the county’s beneficiary this year and his maiden event was sold out at the Maidstone Mercure hotel, with attendees including Kent and England legend Derek Underwood, and new Kent head coach Matt Walker as well as a host of teammate past and present. Tredwell has a series of events planned throughout the year, including a golf day at Prince’s in March, a season-opening quiz night at the Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence, in April, and a steak night in London later that month. Tredwell, who made his Kent debut in 2001, said: “It is a huge honour to have been awarded this testimonial year by Kent. “To have had the opportunity to play the game I love for my home county and also go on to represent England are the things dreams are made of. “I would like to thank all of the people who have aided me over the years in achieving some of my goals.” Tredwell has chosen Crohns and Colitis UK and The PCA Benevolent Fund as his charities this year and he added: “The charities I have chosen to support are both very close to me and help many people, to this end I hope I can help them as much as I can.” For more information on upcoming events visit www. treddytestimonial2017. co.uk Former Kent and England spinner Min Patel has been appointed as the club’s 2nd XI coach while Jason Weaver becomes high performance director.
Patel, 46, spent his 19-year playing career at Kent, taking 630 wickets and playing in two Tests for England in 1996.
The left-armer (pictured) has coached the county’s spinners since his retirement and was 2nd XI interim coach last season from June.
He said: “I enjoyed my time immensely in 2016 as 2nd XI coach as an extension of my work with the spinners in the first-team squad and Academy.
“There’s a great deal of talent in the squad and I look forward to helping bring through players to excel in the 1st XI.”
Weaver, 48, will oversee the pathway from the age-group teams to the Kent Cricket Academy after 10 years as high performance manager.
The former Minor Counties wicketkeeper said: “I am looking forward to working with all of our coaches in helping to develop our young players and build on the good work of previous academy directors.
“Kent have a good reputation for developing home-grown players and that is something we as a club are keen to maintain. I’m keen to stress this would not happen without the hard work of clubs, schools and the area programme.”
The two roles replace former Kent wicketkeeper Simon Willis, who is now with the Sri Lanka Cricket Board.
Kent Cricket CEO Jamie Clifford said: “We’re delighted to appoint Min and Jason in their new roles on a permanent basis and it is a sign of the depth in our coaching structure. They are backed up by some good people right across our gigh performance programmes.
“They have both excelled in the roles on an interim basis which is a tribute to their professionalism and commitment to Kent cricket.”
Kent Spitfires opened the West Indies Regional Super50 in Antigua against hosts Leeward Islands Hurricanes at the Coolidge Cricket Ground yesterday (Wednesday) before facing reigning 11-time champions Trinidad & Tobago Red Force at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium on Sunday.
They will also face Windward Islands Volcanoes on Tuesday and West Indies U19s on Thursday, February 2, before a second round of games ending on February 12 ahead of semi-finals and a final on February 18.