A deal to bring New Zealand international Matt Henry back to Kent this summer has been scrapped because of the coronavirus crisis.

Henry was due to play for the club in their first seven County Championship matches but the deal has, as expected, been cancelled.

Kent were due to get their Division season underway against Lancashire at Old Trafford on Sunday but the first seven weeks of the season have been postponed, with no cricket until May 28, at the earliest.

It meant the return of Henry - announced at the end of January - was unlikely.

The 28-year-old fast bowler took 75 wickets in 11 matches to help Kent win promotion from Division 2 of the County Championship two years ago.

Kent have furloughed most of their players and the majority of their non-playing staff.

A club statement said: “Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and disruption to the official start of the 2020 county cricket season, both the club and player have decided to cancel plans which would have seen Henry return to Kent for a second time.”

Kent’s Director of Cricket, Paul Downton, said: “Once the decision was announced by the ECB that there would be no cricket until at least the end of May it became inevitable the Matt would not be returning to Kent this season.

“The Club continues to enjoy a good relationship with Matt. He has many friends here and the overwhelmingly positive feedback we received when we announced the he would return in 2020 is a measure of Matt himself. He’s a fantastic person on and off the cricket field.

“We’d like to thank Matt for his understanding in difficult circumstances.

“Hopefully another opportunity will arise in the near future which will allow him to join us once again.”

Read more sports news from Kent