Zak Crawley has signed a one-year contract extension with Kent that will keep him at the county for an 11th season.
The 28-year-old agreed the new deal three days after his England central contract was not renewed when the England and Wales Cricket Board released its updated list.
Crawley has not played a Test since the final game of last winter’s Ashes tour in Sydney. His most recent appearance for England came in a one-day international in Sri Lanka in January.
Strong season for Kent
Crawley played in 12 County Championship matches this season as Kent won promotion back to Division One. He scored 608 runs with a top score of 89 and recorded four half-centuries.
“It’s an exciting time as we head back into Division One of the County Championship and I’m looking forward to the challenge of competing for Kent this coming summer,” said Crawley.
“It’s great to see so many young players coming through the system here, similar to my journey into first-team cricket, and I’m excited to help them settle into the first team and further their development for the long term.”
The opener has made more than 180 appearances in all competitions for his home county since his debut in 2017.
International career under scrutiny
Crawley has played 64 Tests and nine ODIs for England. His position in the international set-up came under scrutiny during last winter’s 4-1 Ashes series defeat.
Director of cricket Simon Cook praised the batter’s value to the club. “He is an extremely talented batter and is a huge presence in our dressing room,” said Cook.
“His experience of playing around the world not only benefits us on the field, but he is always willing to pass on his knowledge to our younger batters, something that will benefit us in the long term.”