Kent Cricket's long-serving all-rounder Darren Stevens has been awarded a benefit for 2016.

The 39-year-old joined the county in 2005 after leaving home county Leicestershire and has consistently been one of their star performers.

This season he has again made a significant contribution, scoring more than 900 runs and taking 87 wickets in all formats including 61 in LV= County Championship Division 2.

Stevens said: “It's a great privilege to be awarded a benefit year. I have settled in Kent and am proud to call it my home. My baby son is Kentish and I feel like part of the furniture here.

“The members and supporters have been behind me from day one and taken me as one of their own and I hope they have enjoyed watching me play.

“I’ve always committed 100 per cent to my cricket and I'm looking forward to making 2016 a memorable year on and off the pitch.”

Stevens joined Kent as a batsman and occasional bowler, but has developed into a genuine all-rounder and reached 300 First-Class wickets this season.

His best bowling figures of 7-21 came against Surrey at Canterbury in 2011 and he has 12 five-wicket hauls plus one 10-wicket match for the county.

Stevens was Kent player-of-the-year in 2005 and 2010 as well as winning the Walter Lawrence Trophy for the fastest county century in 2013 for a 44-ball ton against Sussex in the YB40.

He has scored more than 13,000 First-Class runs with his career-best score of 208 achieved for Kent against Middlesex at Uxbridge in 2005, the same year he was awarded his county cap.

Stevens was the first batsman to score 3,000 runs in English T20 cricket and scored his sixth List A century in 2015 to take his tally to almost 7,000 runs in 40/50 over cricket.

Stevens has chosen Giles Hilton, head of free-on sales at Faversham-based brewery Shepherd Neame, to be his benefit chairman.

Mr Hilton said: “I am honoured to have been chosen by such an iconic Kent cricketer to support his benefit year, and look forward to working with him to ensure it is a great success.”