Kent opener Ben Compton signs contract extension until 2024

Kent player-of-the-year Ben Compton has extended his contract with the club after a dazzling debut season.

The 28-year-old originally joined on a two-year deal in October 2021 but he has now added an extra 12 months to that original deal and will remain at Kent until the end of the 2024 campaign.

Opener Compton scored three centuries in his first three first-class innings for the county, going on to top the county's championship averages with 1,193 runs at 54.22, hitting four tons and six half-centuries.

Compton said: “Everyone at Kent has made me feel a part of the family from the day I arrived and I’m so happy to extend my time as a Kent cricketer.

“2022 has been a bit of a whirlwind year for me, including winning a trophy, and being named player-of-the-year by our members and supporters.

“Who knows what 2023 will bring, but with only 15 weeks to go until we’re back at The Spitfire Ground, I’m already looking forward to next season.”

Compton's red-hot form has continued in the winter as he plays for Mountaineers in Zimbabwe's first-class domestic competition, the Logan Cup.

The left-hander has twice beaten his first-class best score with Kent of 140 against Northamptonshire, scoring 217 and 154.

Kent director of cricket Paul Downton said: “Nobody could have predicted how well Compo would begin his career in a Kent shirt but, right from the start, Ben showed us his extraordinary determination and an ability to concentrate for long periods of time in the middle.

"Opening the batting in England is a specialist job and he has showcased a lot of skill and discipline in successfully taking on the role.

“He has quickly become a vital cog in our first-class and one-day sides, and I know he will work hard to make sure his