Kent Cricket have announced that it has retired shirt number 3 in recognition of Darren Stevens’ unbroken 18-year playing career with the county.

Upon joining the Club in 2005, Stevens has worn number 3 since his full debut against Derbyshire that April.

He has since worn that shirt on 642 further occasions, scoring 22,506 runs, taking 864 wickets, and winning three trophies.

This is the first time that a shirt number has been retired in the history of the Club, with shirt numbers being introduced into the game in the late 1990s, & the County Championship in the early 2000s.

Kent Cricket’s Chair, Simon Philip, said: “Darren has represented Kent with so much distinction in his career that has now spanned three decades.

“As shirt numbers were only introduced into the County Championship in 2003, this is an unprecedented honour and richly deserved. Darren has made the number 3 shirt his own in his time here at Kent.

“Darren has left a powerful legacy, and therefore retiring his number will be a constant reminder of the high esteem in which he is held at the Club.”

Picture supplied by Max Flego Photography.