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Sport

Kent Cricket have re-signed Maidstone-born all-rounder Matt Coles after his release by Hampshire

By: Alex Hoad

Published: 08:00, 10 March 2015

Updated: 09:02, 10 March 2015

Kent have resigned all-rounder Matt Coles just 18-months after the homegrown star left to join Hampshire.

The 24-year-old from Maidstone signed for Hampshire on loan in August 2013 after falling out of favour at Canterbury, going on to sign a three-year deal on the south coast later that year.

However, after just over a season at the Ageas Bowl Coles has been allowed to leave the club by mutual consent and has agreed a return to Kent, where he came through the Academy and made his First Class debut aged 19 in 2009.

Coles said: “I am delighted to be back at Kent. I am looking forward to joining a talented group of lads and making a real go of my second spell here.

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“To come through the age groups to play for your home county was a dream come true. I can’t wait to get started and rekindle my love for the Club.”

Matt Coles has returned to Kent. Picture: Barry Goodwin

Kent captain Rob Key added: “Matt is a cricketer with undoubted potential with both bat and ball.

“It's fantastic that he has returned to the county that brought him up through the youth system.”

A statement released by Hampshire on Saturday said: “Coles is leaving the Club by mutual agreement.

“Matt has performed well for the club in his short time at the Ageas Bowl but he has not settled as he, or we would have liked. As a result, it has been agreed that he should develop his career elsewhere.

“Hampshire would like to thanks him for his efforts and wish him well for the future.”

Coles came through the Kent’s youth ranks and his 59 wickets during the 2012 season - during which he received his county cap - earned him a call up to the England Lions squad that toured Australia, but he along with Ben Stokes were sent home early after a breach of team discipline.

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He took 41 wickets in 15 LV= County Championship games last summer as Hampshire won promotion to Division 1.

Coles also took a combined 27 wickets in the Royal London One-Day Cup and T20 Blast, in which he hit a half-century off only 18 balls against Essex at Chelmsford.

In total Coles has taken 195 First Class wickets at an average of 29.48 and a further 64 scalps in List A games at 23.93.

His career best return came for Kent in 2012 with 6-51 in the LV= County Championship at Northamptonshire and 6-32 at Yorkshire in 2012.

In T20 cricket Coles’ best figures were 3-14 against Sussex in 2013.

The left-handed batter has also scored more than 1,500 first-class runs at an average of 19.58, including an unbeaten 103 against Yorkshire in the LV= County Championship at Headingley in 2012.

Kent’s Division 2 campaign starts in on April 19 at Essex and after a trip to Lancashire they host Leicestershire on Sunday, May 3.

Do you think Coles will be a good signing for Kent? Let us know in the comments section below.

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