Jimmy Adams says Kent’s young players can go on to play internationally

Coach Jimmy Adams says Kent’s young players can go on to forge international careers if they can keep developing as they have done in recent months.

The former West Indies Test captain has seen players like wicket-keeper Sam Billings, 22, all-rounder Fabian Cowdrey, 21, and batsmen Sam Northeast, 24, and Daniel Bell-Drummond, 21, produce influential knocks in recent weeks to continue the club’s mid-season revival.

Adams described the season as ‘a journey’ and added: “The kids are now proving themselves to be fully-fledged members of the team, turning in match-winning performances.

“It is a learning curve, but it is a beautiful learning curve for them. There’s an opportunity for them and they are showing they belong at this level.”

He added: “It’s almost guaranteed that if they work to a good plan the upward curve will continue. Hopefully they will go from strength to strength and play even bigger roles during their careers, not just in our team but for the national teams and squads too.”

Adams also admitted he is enjoying the rollercoaster season Kent have been on and added: “Obviously getting results like we have done in the past few weeks has been a real fillip for everybody, myself included, but I’ve enjoyed the whole season and the journey so far.

“We are trying to build a successful team and I wouldn’t see this as a culmination, I’d see this as something which motivates us to keep building towards a really top quality unit here at Kent.”