Kent have signed Nottinghamshire’s Joey Evison, initially on loan, after he turned down the offer of a new three-year contract at Trent Bridge.
The 20-year-old former England Under-19 all-rounder will play on loan for Kent in the One-Day Cup, which starts next week.
He will then complete his move to Canterbury on a three year-deal for the 2023 season.
Kent have also given a new two-year deal to all-rounder Grant Stewart, 28.
Australia-born Stewart, who has been with Kent since 2017 and has represented Italy in T20 internationals, is now signed up until the end of the 2024 season.
Kent’s double boost comes at a time when they are without Darren Stevens, who has been out since mid-May with a shoulder injury – but has had one comeback game in the Second XI, hitting 84 with the bat in two innings against Warwickshire and claiming match figures of 20-8-39-3.
The signing of Evison also cushions the blow of losing Matt Milnes next season to Yorkshire, announced on Friday.
Evison departure ‘bitterly disappointing’ – Moores
“We see Joey Evison as a player of immense promise,” said Nottinghamshire head coach Peter Moores. “One who we’ve worked really hard on developing, who we think of as one of our own – so for him to be leaving us is bitterly disappointing.
“We made it clear to Joey that we saw a long and successful future for him at Trent Bridge and offered a contract reflective of our desire to keep him. We’ve done everything we could have done, but Joey has made the decision.
“Injuries aside, Joey has been a regular in and around the red ball side for the past couple of seasons, he would have had a key role to play in our 50-over campaign this summer and there’s no doubt that he was working towards breaking more regularly into our T20 team.”
Evison took his first five-wicket haul for Notts in only his fourth first-class appearance against Durham at the Riverside last July and made his maiden century in this season’s opening game against Sussex at Hove.
But he has played in just three more Championship games this summer, having been kept sidelined by the form of their two international players, Australia’s James Pattinson and South Africa’s Dane Paterson.
“I couldn’t be more excited about joining Kent,” said Evison. “I recognise that I’m still young but I’m hungry for first team cricket.”
“This is a signing with both the present and the future in mind,” said Kent director of cricket Paul Downton. “We can’t wait to see Joey blossom.”
