New Kent batsman Joe Weatherley has high hopes for the county this season following his season-long loan move from Hampshire.

With the arrival of international batsmen Rilee Rossouw and George Bailey, Weatherley decided to make the move to Kent following a discussion with Hampshire head coach Giles White.

Weatherley, who scored 36 and 34 on his Kent debut in the 334-run championship win over Gloucestershire, said: “Kent came in and showed a lot of interest in me, so it was a bit of a no-brainer to make the move.

“I joined the lads for the start of pre-season. It’s a good group and they’ve welcomed me with open arms.”

The former England under-19 captain made his debut in all three formats for Hampshire in 2016 and is looking for more success in 2017.

He said: “I’d like to play in all three forms but I think I am more suited to red ball cricket.
“I got a few opportunities in white ball last year so hopefully I can cement a place in the team. I want to try and play as many games as possible and help Kent as much as I can.”

The batsman’s arrival has coincided with a new start for the county following the appointment of Matt Walker as head coach and Weatherley has been impressed with what he’s seen so far.

He said: “Matt knows the club well and he’s tried to put his own stamp on things. He’s a good coach and I’ve heard a lot of good things about him from around the circuit, as well as from within the dressing room.

“We’ve had meetings about how we’re going to do things on and off the field. It’s definitely a different environment from what I’m used to but it’s nice to come into a friendly dressing room and it feels like a family club.

“There aren’t any international stars in the dressing room but we’ve got people like Darren Stevens and James Tredwell who have played almost 20 years of county cricket and have a wealth of experience that me and the other youngsters can learn from.”