Joe Denly: Kent re-sign Middlesex batsman as Nash & Adams stay

Denly made his international debut for England against Ireland in 2009

Kent-born batsman Joe Denly is returning to his home county after ending his contract with Middlesex a year early.

Denly, 28, had spent the last three seasons with Middlesex after joining them from Kent in 2011.

"There's a lot of familiar faces still here and plenty of talent coming through," Denly told the club website.

Kent have also announced batsman Brendan Nash and head coach Jimmy Adams have extended their current contracts.

Denly, the first Canterbury-born cricketer to be capped by Kent, made his debut for the county aged 18 in 2004.

He played nine one-day internationals and five Twenty20 internationals for England between August 2009 and February 2010, but admits an international recall is far from his thoughts.

"I'm proud to have played for my country but I need to focus on making runs at county level and earning my place in the Kent team first," he said.

Middlesex managing director of cricket Angus Fraser, said: "It is always disappointing when the signing of a good player and man fails to turn out as you hoped and, sadly, this has been the case with Joe.

"In the three seasons Joe has spent with Middlesex we have witnessed glimpses of what he is capable of producing but, frustratingly, these displays have not come around as often as everyone wanted."

Former West Indies batsman Nash, 36, scored 839 runs at an average of 36.48 in the County Championship last season and has 2,857 first-class runs over three summers at Kent since his arrival in 2012, initially as an overseas player before re-registering as a Kolpak player in 2013, allowing the county to sign another overseas player.

The Australia-born left-hander will return from a winter in Australia for a fourth season in 2015.

Former West Indies captain Adams, 46, was originally appointed Kent's head coach in January 2012.