Adam Milne set to join English county side Kent after Champions Trophy

English county’s Division Two side Kent have signed New Zealand pacer Adam Milne to bolster their squad ahead of the County Championship and T20 Blast, which starts in July. Milne will join the squad after the Champions Trophy next month. The Kiwi bowler has also been a part of IPL, making four appearances this season for the Bangalore franchise.

The 25-year-old seamer made his debut for the national team last year during a tri-series in Dublin. However, he was struck with an injury which forced him to stay on the sidelines for almost a year. Milne returned to full health at the back end of the summer following a 15-month break from the sport. He has been named in Champions trophy squad and was a part of the recent Black Caps’ squad that was touring Ireland. Milne has played 34 ODIs and 18 T20Is for New Zealand so far.

Delighted to join Kent

According to Espn Cricinfo, following the confirmation of the deal, Milne said, “I’m delighted to be joining Kent and working with such a talented squad pushing for promotion. The County Championship is one of the best first-class competitions in the world and I’m looking forward to getting stuck in and taking some wickets. I also can’t wait to experience the atmosphere at The Spitfire Ground in the NatWest T20 Blast.”

The difficult and the condensed nature of county cricket, particularly in the four-day format, will be a challenge for Milne and he seems to be excited by the prospect. Milne has been very consistent in his performances and possesses immense control over the ball. The Champions trophy will provide Milne with the perfect exposure and he would look to continue his streak throughout the season in the county.

According to BBC Sports, Graham Johnson, the Kent chairman of cricket was quoted as saying, “Adam is capable of bowling in excess of 90mph and will add even more penetration to our attack in red-ball and white-ball cricket.”

“It’s a long season so we will need to rotate the bowlers and we hope Adam’s arrival will add impetus with the ball.” Kent plays their first match of the Championship match against Worcestershire.