Kent’s County Championship season is looming large and, in the build up to it, we’ve been talking to coach Matt Walker to preview the start of the 2022 season.

In the first of our exclusives, Walker talks about how the squad has adapted to a full pre-season in the Garden of England and how despite being on another continent, skipper Sam Billings is still very much part of the “think-tank” at the Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence.

“It’s been a really nice winter so far,” the coach admitted. “Normally we have a lot of players who go away and play wherever, but this year a lot more stayed behind, which meant that we could start a little later in January.”

“We had a six seven-week block which was mainly fitness, and then on March first we were able to get outside under a marquee – and that was brilliant as we were actually able to get in three really good weeks on the grass.”

“Now we’re into the phase of playing three competitive games in the lead up to the opening Championship game at Chelmsford next week.”

“Everything so far has gone very smoothly and now it’s an opportunity for all the guy’s hard work – everything they’ve worked on and all the effort they’ve put in in the gym – to get an opportunity to turn it into some form in the practice games.”

“It will be nice to get some good weather so that we get players into form to be able to show what they’ve been working on and get some confidence leading into the season.”

“Everyone’s very pleased, and touch wood there are no concerns of injury worries and people are coming along nicely! The plan is to go into the first game full of confidence, and so far, so good.”

“There are so many ways of doing pre-season these days and we didn’t go away this year, which is what we have done over the past few years.”

“It’s worked OK and also the fact that we’ve been here so that we’ve had pretty much five weeks in English conditions going into the season could also be seen as a pretty good thing, but time will tell on that.”

“It’s never quite the same as going away is always a nice thing to do and sometimes creates bonding and team spirit as you’re constantly in each other’s company for two weeks or so, but the bottom line is from a cricketing point of view, we have to be happy with what we’ve done right here in Kent.”

Walker went onto confirm that whilst Sam Billings remains the club captain, Jack Leaning will be vice-captain of the red ball side whilst Daniel Bell-Drummond remains vice-captain of the white ball side.

Billings is in India to play in the IPL and Walker confessed, “I hope he gets the chance to play. I think that the feeling is that he will as he has no “big name” in his way in terms of the gloves.”

“Of course it depends on who they decide to play and the overseas make up, but I think Sam is in a very good place – he practised well with us before he got on the plane; he looked in a really good place off the back of the way he played in the Big Bash and it would be great if he could continue that and get some good rhythm in the IPL and keep his form going.”

“I’m sure he’ll be in contact a lot once he really gets going and we do as well – we still talk a lot as he’s still a part of our decision making even though he’s a long way away.”

“He’s very keen to be part of the process and what we’re thinking and what’s going on. He lets us get on with it, but we have a good partnership where we can talk about it.”

“I hope he does well and yes, it is a shame he’s not here, but we’ve players all chomping at the bit to be in the team for the Essex game and that’s exactly where we want to be.”

Picture supplied by Max Flego Photography.