Walker and Donald unveiled as Kent coaching pair

Allan Donald, the former South Africa fast bowler, has been named as assistant coach at Kent, where he will work alongside Matt Walker, who has been promoted to head coach.

Walker, 43, spent 16 of his 19 years as a player at Kent, scoring more than 12,000 first class runs and top-scored in Kent's Twenty20 Cup Final win in 2007.

He holds Kent's record individual score at The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence, 275 not out against Somerset in 1996. More recently, he has spent three years as deputy to the former West Indies batsman, Jimmy Adams, who stepped down in October. .

Walker said: "'Having grown up as a Kent player and played 16 seasons for this great county, I am extremely honoured and proud to be offered the head coach role.

"We have an exciting and talented squad that I believe is capable of challenging across all three formats.

"I am relishing this opportunity and hope will work with Sam Northeast and Allan Donald to bring success to the club."

Donald, 50, is a hugely experienced bowling coach - he has held positions with the South Africa, England and, most recently, the Australia and Royal Challengers Bangalore teams. He was promoted to head coach at Pune Warriors in 2013, and also held a short-term role at Knights (the Bloemfontein-based franchise).

More recently, he was interviewed by his former club, Warwickshire, for one of the roles subsequently filled by Ashley Giles and Jim Troughton.

"I would like to thank the club for giving me this opportunity to work with this very talented group as the assistant coach," he said. "I look forward to working closely with Matt Walker and Sam Northeast in forming a very tight relationship as we plot our way through the season.

"There is no doubt that I'm pumped for the new season ahead and can't wait to meet all the players and backroom staff."

The new coaching team will lead the squad on a pre-season tour of the Caribbean later this month before the county season starts on April 7.

"Matt was the outstanding candidate from the recruitment process," said the club chairman, George Kennedy. "He is a modern, innovative coach who is highly regarded by players and peers as shown by the work he has done with Kent and England. His knowledge and passion for the club is an added bonus.

"The addition of Allan Donald brings a fresh face and new voice to the staff who we hope will also help bring the best out of our seam attack."

It is understood Matthew Mott, currently the Australia Women's coach, was originally favoured for the director of cricket role but, after having talks with the club, decided against it.

The Kent role was vacated when Jimmy Adams resigned in October after five seasons in charge. Adams has subsequently agreed to take over as West Indies' new director of cricket.