New deal for Stevens

DARREN STEVENS has been given the chance to play county cricket beyond his 46th birthday after Kent offered the all-rounder a new contract.

Since he hit his 40s, the club have tended to wait until late in the season before discussing deal extensions. However, following an outstanding start to this campaign, they extended his stay at Canterbury before the current fixture against Northants in which he claimed the 31st five-wicket haul of his career. His 423 runs include two tons either side of turning 45 in April, making him the oldest to hit two in a season since Geoff Boycott in 1986. With the ball, his 24-wicket haul is twice that of any of his team-mates.