Matt Walker to Leave Kent After Seven Years as Head Coach
Matt Walker, the head coach of Kent’s men’s cricket team, has announced his departure at the end of the season after seven years at the helm. Walker, a former Kent player with a 16-year career, took over as head coach in 2017, replacing Jimmy Adams.
During his tenure, Walker guided Kent to limited-overs success, winning the Vitality Blast in 2021 and the One-Day Cup in 2022. He also oversaw the team’s promotion to Division One of the County Championship in 2018. However, Kent’s recent form has been disappointing, with the team languishing at the bottom of Division Two and struggling in the T20 Blast.
In a statement released by Kent, Walker expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to coach his home county. He highlighted the promotion to Division One and trophy successes as memorable moments, but emphasized that working with the players and coaches had been the most rewarding aspect of his time at the club.
Kent’s director of cricket, Simon Cook, praised Walker’s contributions as both a player and a coach. He noted that Walker’s name would be forever associated with recent successes at Kent Cricket.
It is understood that Kent will look externally for Walker’s successor, with Matthew Mott a potential candidate. Mott, who recently stepped down as England’s white-ball coach, has experience in county cricket, having worked at Glamorgan as head coach and head of elite performance.
Walker’s departure marks the end of an era at Kent, and the club will be hoping to find a suitable replacement who can continue the team’s progress and bring further success to Canterbury.