Jack Leaning has penned a new long-term Kent deal.

Leaning has made a huge impact since he signed from Yorkshire in August 2019 and his fresh contract will run until at least the end of the 2026 season.

The batting all-rounder, 30, has captained Kent 32 times in 118 appearances and expressed an interest in becoming club skipper at the end of the 2023 summer.

And, although it was Daniel Bell-Drummond who got the nod as Kent’s new red-ball skipper in October, vice-captain Leaning is still clearly a big part of head coach Matt Walker’s plans. He is set to become Spitfires skipper throughout their 2024 Metro Bank One-Day Cup campaign, subject to his availability.

While he has spent recent winters with Sutherland in Australia, Leaning has opted to stay at home this close season.

He said: “I’m extremely excited to see what the future holds at Kent Cricket and I was quick to make sure that I could commit to as many years as I could here going forward.

“I now feel right at home here - I’ve loved every second of my four seasons as a Spitfire so far, and I’m already looking forward to getting under way for 2024 and beyond.

“These past few weeks, I’ve spent a lot of time with both my team-mates for winter training but also with the guys in the club office, seeing how we as players can contribute towards more off-field success, as well as on it.

“Together, we’re an extremely ambitious club and want to remain right up there with the Test-hosting counties.

“I’m honoured to be Kent’s new vice-captain and it’s a position that I’m ready to throw myself completely into.”

Overall, he’s scored more than 4,000 Kent runs in all formats at an average of more than 35.00, as well as contributing 51 wickets with his right-arm off-spin.

He became a T20 Blast champion in his second term as a Kent player in 2021, helping the county secure their first trophy in 14 years, before being named as Kent men’s Batter-of-the-Year that season. He was awarded Kent cap number 221 in September 2021.

Leaning shared an unbroken 423-run second-wicket partnership with Jordan Cox, who has since departed for Essex, as Kent crushed Sussex in the Bob Willis Trophy in August 2020. The former finished 220 not out.

Bristol-born Leaning - whose father Andy is a former professional footballer and goalkeeping coach - will deputise for Bell-Drummond in four-day cricket and for T20 skipper Sam Billings in the Vitality Blast.

Director of cricket Simon Cook said: “Jack is an outstanding multi-format cricketer and we’re very pleased to have secured his talents for at least another three summers.

“With captaincy being under a new model, it’s important to maintain a consistent and balanced voice across formats - Jack is one of the leaders of our dressing room and shares our ambitions.

“I’m looking forward to seeing him lead our One-Day Cup side, if he’s available for us.

“I hope that our members and supporters are as excited as we are that a player of Jack’s calibre has committed his future to the club ahead of a big year for this group.”

Leaning took part in The Hundred competition with Oval Invincibles in 2022 but wasn’t involved as he led Spitfires during their unsuccessful defence of the One-Day Cup last year.