Sam Northeast will pull on the Kent shirt again next summer after signing a two-season contract that ends his productive spell at Glamorgan and draws a neat line back to the county where it all began.
The 35-year-old, born in Ashford and schooled at Tonbridge, spent his first 11 professional seasons at Canterbury before moving on to Hampshire in 2018 and then Glamorgan two years later. Over the past four summers he has been one of the most reliable run-scorers on the circuit: 410 not out against Leicestershire in 2022 – a Glamorgan record – and 335* at Lord’s last year, the highest first-class score ever registered at the ground. In the current campaign he has 780 Championship runs at 48.75 and was player of the match during Glamorgan’s Metro Bank One-Day Cup triumph at Trent Bridge.
Glamorgan were keen to extend his stay, but the pull of home proved hard to resist. Northeast’s young family have remained in Kent throughout, and the daily drive across the Severn Bridge had started to wear thin.
“I’m delighted to be returning home to Kent next season,” Northeast said. “I believe I still have a great deal to contribute across all formats, and while I’ve enjoyed my time away, I know that coming back to Canterbury is the right decision at this stage of my career. As someone who grew up in the county, Kent has always been close to my heart. I always knew I would return to my boyhood Club, and I’m proud to once again wear the White Horse. The Club is in an exciting place, with a clear focus on the future, and I hope that my experience can help support and develop the next generation of Kent-produced talent.”
Director of cricket Simon Cook admitted he moved quickly once he heard Northeast might be available. “Sam was our top target when it became apparent that he was available and he will add top-order talent and experience. We’re delighted that he has chosen to return to Kent next season, and our young batters in both the first-team and Talent Pathway will draw from his vast experience. I’m sure his return home will be greatly received by our Members and supporters.”
Northeast first cracked Kent’s XI as a 17-year-old in 2007. By the time he left, he had passed 13,500 runs across formats, hit 24 hundreds and captained the county 134 times, averaging just under 45 with the bat during his period in charge. The exit to Hampshire was messy – contract talks stalled, rumours of dressing-room discord bubbled away – yet bridges appear to have been rebuilt.
For Kent, who have struggled for consistency at the top of the order, his return looks timely. A place in Division One is not guaranteed for 2026, but a senior batter with a proven appetite for long innings rarely harms promotion prospects. Glamorgan, meanwhile, must replace 1,500 runs a year and a figure who, by most accounts inside the dressing-room, set standards in both training and the middle.
In cricket, careers often loop back on themselves. Northeast’s task now is simple enough: show that the player who left in frustration seven years ago can be the same one who guides Kent’s next crop through the labyrinth of county cricket.
