Ex-Foxes star, 46, hopes to play again

FORMER Leicestershire all-rounder Darren Stevens is being released by Kent – but the 46-year-old wants to continue playing next season.

Stevens, who joined Kent from Leicestershire in 2005, has announced his 17-year stint with the county will end at the conclusion of this season.

But he told BBC Sport: “I don’t feel like I’m ready to give up.

“I love the game so much. I have that passion for it.

“That is why I’m still playing now. I still feel like I can do a job with the bat and the ball.”

During his lengthy Kent career, Stevens amassed more than 22,000 runs and 43 centuries, as well as winning the player of the year award numerous times during his 630 games.

Leicester-born Stevens won the T20 Blast with Leicestershire in 2004 and repeated the feat with Kent in 2007 and 2021.

He was also named Wisden Cricketer of the Year for his exploits with the county last year.

Stevens, above, recently sustained a calf injury while batting during the Royal London Cup match against Glamorgan and is unlikely to feature again this season, having played just five LV= Insurance County Championship matches in 2022.

“It’s bittersweet that my time at Kent has finally come to an end after such a long run and where I am so proud to have lived out my boyhood dream with such a phenomenal club. The memories will stay with me forever,” Stevens said.

“I have been fortunate to have played with some of the greats of the game and created lifelong friendships.

“I am so grateful for being able to do what I love for so long and during that time achieve so many success stories for both myself and the club.

“I’m looking forward to the next chapter but looking back I am very proud of the one I’ve just completed.”

Kent director of cricket Paul Downton said: “Over the last 25 years Darren Stevens has been an inspirational cricketer.

“It is unthinkable that a player of his talent was never selected to play international cricket.”