KENT have confirmed that their former captain Mike Denness has quit as the county’s chairman of cricket after three full seasons in office.

Denness, who played 333 first-class matches for the county before joining Essex in 1977, has resigned with the team in turmoil - citing personal and health reasons for his decision to stand down.

The former England captain leaves both the chairmanship and his post on the club’s influential cricket committee with the team struggling and having won just once in 10 starts.

The 63-year-old underwent a triple heart bypass operation soon after taking on the role from Derek Ufton in March 2001 and was temporarily replaced by Grahame Johnson, who has accepted the club’s offer of taking the post full-time.

Johnson met with the county’s under-fire squad during Kent’s innings defeat to Sussex in Hove last week and his recommendations from here on will undoubtedly influence the club’s close-season hiring and firing.

To some Kent supporters the resignation comes at an inopportune time, with the side struggling in both formats of the game and signs of dressing room unrest.

Having seen their biggest defeat of the season against Sussex on Monday, Johnson also popped in to see Kent’s championship match in Southgate today where Middlesex closed in on a potential three-day win.