Kent head coach Matt Walker highlights batsman Tawanda Muyeye and wicketkeeper Harry Finch as two leading lights from 2023

Two leading lights from Kent’s 2023 season have been praised by head coach Matt Walker.

Harry Finch performed well behind the stumps in tough circumstances and was handed a contract extension until 2025 last month.

Batsman Tawanda Muyeye was named Kent’s emerging player-of-the-year at October’s end-of-season awards after he hit his maiden first-class century at Northamptonshire in June.

Finch, 28, first came to Kent in 2021 and was thrust into the first-team limelight with several in their squad forced into self-isolation after one member tested positive for Covid, meaning Kent fielded a much-changed team for a County Championship clash against Sussex.

He struck a second-innings century in that game and, while Kent didn’t sign him then, he rejoined Spitfires for their successful One-Day Cup campaign in 2022 before joining permanently.

“Finchy has had a really interesting journey,” Walker said, of a player who has enjoyed an extended spell as Kent’s first-team wicketkeeper with Jordan Cox now leaving for rivals Essex and Sam Billings missing much of their last red-ball campaign.

“He played at Sussex. It didn’t quite work out and he came out of the game for a bit.

“He played a bit of cricket for us in the second team, going back to 2021 when we won the Blast and we had a real Covid nightmare. He came in and played a Championship game, and got a hundred there and played two really good knocks in the T20s.

“We didn’t sign Finchy that year. It just didn’t fit the budget - we didn’t need another batter.

“But Finchy held on and came back to play some more second-team cricket for us last year.

“He’s a great human being. The boys love him and he’s the sort of player you really want in your squad and he’s found his way into the