Kent’s Harry Finch admitted he felt he had a point to prove after scoring a century against former side Sussex on Wednesday.

The 26-year-old scored a fluent 115 in Canterbury versus the club that released him at the end of 2020, but he had the last laugh as he picked up his fourth first-class century in the game.

Speaking following the conclusion of the match, Finch said: “It meant quite a lot. Getting released from them last year, I spent a lot of time there and have a lot of good friends in that team – I had a bit of a point to prove, I guess. 

“It has been a little bit of a difficult winter for me personally, with COVID, but trying to get opportunities with other counties was quite difficult, so it felt like a long winter at times, but days like these make it feel that much more special.

“It was raw at first, but it is fine now. I am fully aware that the next time I play, whenever that may be, it might not go my way, but that is the game of cricket. 

“I will enjoy it – you have to enjoy it when you have moments like this, as safely as I can with everything that is going on, but you have to take moments like this in for sure.”

Finch, like many other members of the Kent squad for the game, was only called up last minute after a COVID case in the camp forced the T20 squad into isolation.

The Sussex-born man said he only found out about the situation on Saturday night, and that it was a mad rush for everyone involved to get things sorted in good time.

“It has been very strange,” said Finch. “I got a call up on Saturday afternoon to be cover as we weren’t sure what was happening, and then it all happened quite quickly, which was probably a good thing actually. It has been a really good week, quite a strange one, but a good one.

“I wasn’t really thinking about the game on Saturday, it was more about getting the paperwork done. I was staying at my girlfriend’s, so I had to rush back to my mum’s and get my clothes and sort everything out.”

Six players made their Kent debuts in the match, with five making their first-class debuts. Youngsters such as Jas Singh and Harry Houillon featured in a side captained by Heino Kuhn, and Finch admitted the players knew the size of the opportunity they had in front of them.

He said: “The main thing was to enjoy it and relish the fact it was a really good opportunity for everyone. I think the other five were making their first-class debuts, which is an amazing thing and something you look back with a lot of pride on when you do finish playing.

“The main thing was to enjoy it, embrace it, express yourself and show how good you are. It was a decent game in the end – we did well to hang on for a draw – but it was about enjoying it because you don’t often get the chance to play first-class cricket. I have certainly missed it the last year and a bit, so it was pretty cool.”

Naturally, shouts will come for Finch to be offered full-time terms with Kent after a season in the second team following the release from Sussex. The man himself, however, is just taking things day by day.

“To be honest, I take it a day at a time,” he said. “There is not really much more I can do. 

“I have been playing in the twos all year. I will just try to keep scoring runs, keep playing well and will see what happens. Most importantly I am in a really nice space where I am enjoying my cricket.

“I certainly wasn’t expecting this when I played club cricket on Saturday – I had played an awful shot and I had come off and was quite angry with myself, but then got a bit of good news. 

“I have done pretty well in the twos. I got a hundred, four or five half-centuries in the T20s and stuff, so I am feeling good. It was just nice to take my chance this game.”

Finch will more-than-likely play for Kent again on Friday when the Spitfires travel to Lord’s to take on Middlesex with the main T20 team still in isolation, before Kent host Sussex again in their final T20 Blast group game on Sunday.

Picture supplied by Kent Cricket.