The season was the fourth in charge for head coach, and former player, Matthew Walker. Former Kent bowler Simon Cook became the new bowling coach after a spell as head coach of the Hong Kong national team, replacing South African Allan Donald who left the county at the end of the previous season.[5][6] Former England all-rounder Michael Yardy joined Kent as the new batting coach in February 2020.[7]Sam Billings retained the club captaincy that he was first awarded in 2018.[8] Billings and vice-captain Joe Denly both spent time away with England squads throughout the season, and so Daniel Bell-Drummond captained the side on several occasions.[9]
The delayed start of the season and the resulting loss of income meant that, like many other counties, Kent decided to cancel contracts for their overseas signings.[10] New Zealand fast bowler Matt Henry had been due to return for the first part of the season after a highly successful spell with the county in 2018.[11][12] Meanwhile, Afghan all-rounder Mohammad Nabi had signed to play for the county in the t20 Blast for a second successive year.[13][14]
Squad
Batsman Alex Blake signed a new white-ball (limited overs) contract with the county in January 2020, becoming the first homegrown player to sign such a deal with Kent.[15]
Departures
Mitchell Claydon left Kent after seven years with the team, to join Sussex at the end of the 2019 season.[16] In July 2020, batsman Sean Dickson departed the club to join Durham, initially on loan for the 2020 season.[17] On 30 July, wicket-keeper Adam Rouse announced his retirement from cricket at the age of 28, after having played four seasons with Kent.[18]
All-rounder Calum Haggett and bowler Ivan Thomas were both released by the club after their contracts expired in October.[19][20]
Arrivals
In August 2019, Kent announced that they had signed Yorkshire all-rounder Jack Leaning on a three-year contract from October 2019.[21] In September 2019, Kent announced the signings of teenage Afghan-born England Under-19 off-spinner Hamidullah Qadri from Derbyshire on a three-year deal.[22] A few days later, the county also announced the signing of 35 year-old seamer Tim Groenewald from Somerset on a two-year deal from 2020.[23]
Zimbabwean-born 20-year old fast bowler Nathan Gilchrist, who had yet to play a senior match, joined Kent in August, initially on loan from Somerset ahead of signing a three-year contract.[24]
Matches played in the 2020 Bob Willis Trophy had first-class status, but there were some differences to the playing conditions compared to the County Championship. The minimum number of overs in a day was reduced to 90, the follow-on increased from 150 runs to 200, the new ball was to be available after 90 overs instead of 80, and each team's first innings was restricted to a maximum of 120 overs.[25] Kent's first match of the delayed season began on 1 August against Essex at Chelmsford.[26]
JM Cox scored his maiden first-class century, and double century (238 not out),[32][33] and JA Leaning also scored his maiden double century (220 not out)[34]
The unbeaten partnership of 423 runs between JM Cox and JA Leaning was a Kent record in first-class cricket[35]
Kent's score of 530/1 was the fourth highest single wicket score in global first-class cricket[35]
