Experienced Kent duo Matt Milnes and Sam Northeast extend stays with county while South African overseas all-rounder Keith Dudgeon leaves for Matt Walker’s new-look Sussex side

Experienced duo Matt Milnes and Sam Northeast have extended their Kent contracts for a further year.

The pair, who both helped Adam Hollioake’s team earn promotion to County Championship Division 1 at the start of second stints at Canterbury, have seen options on initial deals triggered, extending their latest Kent stays until at least the end of the 2028 summer.

Both capped players, Milnes won multiple gongs at the end-of-season awards event on Wednesday evening.

Overall, the 32-year-old took 84 wickets across all formats this summer and was the Spitfires’ top wicket-taker in both the Vitality T20 Blast and the Rothesay County Championship, earning a new career-best first-class innings haul of 6-12 against Derbyshire in Canterbury in May.

Former skipper Northeast, meanwhile, now 36, scored more than 1,300 runs in 26 appearances, including three centuries, in his first summer back with Kent.

After Friday morning's announcement, director of cricket Simon Cook said: “We’re delighted with how both Sam and Milnesy have performed in their first seasons back at Kent, and we’re extremely pleased that they will now be Kent players until at least the end of 2028.

“They are both key players for us as we look to compete in Division 1 of the Rothesay County Championship in 2027, and both will be a great asset in mentoring our younger talent as we look further into the future.”

The news comes with South African overseas all-rounder Keith Dudgeon, who has played for Kent in the last two campaigns, signing a two-year deal with Matt Walker's new-look Sussex outfit on the same morning.

On social media, Kent head coach Hollioake paid a glowing tribute to 30-year-old Dudgeon.

“You’re a great man,” he posted.

“Forget the aggressive relentless bowling, the counter-attacking under-pressure batting, it’s the great attitude and ability to galvanise a changing room that I will always remember.

“People will forget money, people will forget fame, but people will never forget how you made them feel.

“And you made me feel proud to have you in our team.

“Go well, ‘Rhino’.”.

Among Dudgeon’s team-mates at Hove will be ex-Kent players Jack Leaning and Joey Evison, and Margate-born fast bowler Ollie Robinson.