Kent opener Ben Compton looks to repeat successes from his breakthrough season in 2023

It will be a case of evolution rather than revolution for Kent opener Ben Compton this summer.

Compton enjoyed an incredible first full season with Matt Walker’s side in 2022 which saw him score more than 1,000 County Championship Division 1 runs and five half-centuries on the Spitfires’ way to Royal London One-Day Cup glory.

He predicts England’s new attacking "Bazball" style under head coach Brendon McCullum and captain Ben Stokes could filter down into the county game.

But Compton won’t totally go away from his more defensive style which brought him so much success.

He said: “We will probably see what’s happened for England Cricket filter down into county cricket. I wouldn’t be surprised if that happened.

“But I don’t necessarily think me changing my game is going to do me much good.

"I certainly feel I’ve done some work to expand it.

“But changing it? No.

"I’ve expanded it in certain parts. That’s all situational.

“I think that’s where people may get slightly misguided in this ‘Bazball’ type era, where they just think it’s fifth gear from the get-go. It’s not that.

“They do bide their time at times and they do earn the right.

"I interpret that as having the freedom to be positive - in whichever way that player sees fit.”

Compton, who extended his Kent contract until the end of next season on Christmas Day, continued his red-hot form in the winter as he played for Mountaineers in Zimbabwe's first-class domestic competition, the Logan Cup.

He said: “I got some time out in the middle and played for the same team that I did last year, which was great.

“It’s just great to be playing cricket.

"It’s much better than being stuck in the snow and the dark!

“It was really nice to get away but, obviously, it’s fantastic to be