Darren Stevens: Kent all-rounder hoping to land Big Bash deal

Darren Stevens helped Kent win the T20 Blast trophy in 2021

Darren Stevens says being selected by a Big Bash franchise would be a perfect finale to his career.

All-rounder Stevens is being released next month after 17 years with Kent.

The 46-year-old's name was added this week to the list of overseas nominations for the 12th instalment of the Australian T20 competition, which starts in December.

"I want to play, so why not put myself forward? It would be a good way to go out," Stevens said.

Early in the 2021 County Championship, Stevens dismissed Marnus Labuschagne twice in as many matches, with the scalp of Travis Head sandwiched between, resulting in the group chat for Australian overseas cricketers in England being renamed 'Stevo's gonna get you'.

And while he has not yet appeared in the Big Bash, Stevens has previously played in Zimbabwe, Bangladesh and New Zealand and amassed more than 3,500 runs in 168 innings in the T20 Blast in England, also taking 111 wickets at an average of under 25.

"I feel like I've still got a lot to give. I'm hitting the ball well and it's coming out alright. I feel like I can do a job for a club somewhere," he said.

"My agent has added me in everything - I was like, 'Great, cheers mate'. I still want to play, so why not put myself forward? We'll see. The Big Bash would be good, wouldn't it?."

Leicester-born Stevens, who will turn 47 next April, has received no approaches from other clubs since news of his Kent departure, despite his home county losing all-rounder Ben Mike to Yorkshire this week.

"We'll see what happens. If people call and offer things then we'll have a sit down and decide. At the moment, I have had nothing," he said.

In what could potentially have been his final white-ball appearance for Kent, Stevens hit 49 against Lancashire on Tuesday to help the Spitfires set-up a One-Day Cup quarter-final against Leicestershire at Grace Road on Friday - their first limited-overs trip to his home town for 11 years.

"You couldn't have written it," he added, "but it would be better for it all to finish (in the final) at Trent Bridge than now."