Jaydn Denly: Kent hand teenage all-rounder first senior contract

Jaydn Denly hit the first ball he faced in professional cricket for a boundary at the Oval

Kent have handed Jaydn Denly his first senior contract with the club.

The 17-year-old nephew of ex-England batter Joe Denly came through the Kent Academy and impressed in five One-Day Cup appearances last summer.

The England Under-19s player hit his first ball in professional cricket for four and took 1-20 in Kent's 87-run victory at the Oval on debut.

"I'm thrilled. I know this is just the start for me and I'm hungry for more first team opportunities," he said.

The left-hander averaged 26 with the bat and took four wickets at 33 with his left-arm spin.

"Jaydn has made the step up to the first team successfully last year and became a mainstay of our one-day squad in the back-end of the One-Day Cup," Kent's director of cricket, Simon Cook, said.

"He is an exciting young talent that can contribute with bat, ball and in the field - I look forward to seeing him continue to develop as part of our first-team squad for 2024."

Meanwhile Alex Gidman has left his post of men's batting coach to become England Women's assistant coach.

The former Worcestershire head coach joined Kent in February.

The club is seeking a new lead batting coach, as well as a bowling coach after Cook's appointment as director of cricket, following the retirement of Paul Downton.