Kent Cricket have made the signing of right-arm fast-medium bowler Arafat Bhuiyan for the remainder of the 2023 season.

Born in Dhaka, Bangladesh, but with UK residency, Arafat has taken 17 wickets for Kent Second XI, with best figures of 4-81 against Hampshire in the Second XI Championship last week.

He currently plays his club cricket in the Kent Premier League for Blackheath & took 4-26 last time out at the weekend against St Lawrence & Highland Court.

He has also featured for Surrey, Essex & Derbyshire’s Second XIs in the past six years, as well as playing stints for the MCC’s Young Cricketers side in 2019, & the South Asian Cricket Academy (SACA) this year. He moved to Birmingham this Winter be part of SACA’s winter training programme.

The 26-year-old will wear number 26 for Kent & goes into the Spitfires’ squad to face Surrey in the LV= Insurance County Championship, beginning tomorrow at the Kia Oval.

On signing for Kent for the rest of the season, Arafat said: “I’m over the moon to have signed for Kent. It’s a dream come true to become a professional cricketer and I feel all my hard work has paid off.

“I’m grateful to Kent, especially Second XI Coach Mark Dekker, for the faith they have showed in me, and hope I can perform well if given the opportunity.

“I would also like to thank Dr. Tom Brown from SACA for giving me the opportunity to train and for accommodating me during the Winter in Birmingham. I can’t speak highly enough about the amount of work he is putting into this programme.”

Kent’s Director of Cricket, Paul Downton, said: “Arafat performed well at pre-season training and has impressed our coaching staff with the quality of his performances in our Second XI. He has also been a consistent wicket taker for Blackheath in the Kent Premier League.

“Arafat fully deserves this opportunity, and we all wish him well.”

Picture supplied by Kent Cricket.