Brendan Nash was an inspired acquisition by Kent ahead of the 2012 season. His three summers with the club have yielded not too far short of 3,000 first class runs in a style that identified him as one of the more sober, reliable run-makers on the county circuit. His best season was 2013 when he accumulated five centuries, including 199 not out in a successful run chase against Gloucestershire. The end of that innings was notable with Nash having to retire hurt, with victory 21 runs away, one run short of a double century because of sunstroke after spending more than five hours at the crease. He said he was dizzy and had slightly blurred vision and felt like a boxer on the ropes, liable to be hit at any minute. Kent batsman Brendan Nash says he had no choice but to retire hurt against Gloucestershire on Saturday, despite being a run short of a double century.

Born in Western Australia and with a Jamaican father, Nash stamped himself as a first-class player of real promise for Queensland with innings of 157 against South Australia and 96 in the Pura Cup final win over Tasmania in 2001-02. He followed up those contributions the next season with 176 against New South Wales before a form slump disrupted his progress. He fought back to earn Bulls' contract status and was a regular performer without nailing a permanent place. A left-handed batsman, a stunning fielder (he was a Test substitute against West Indies at the Gabba in 2005) and a useful left-arm medium-pacer, he played five Pura Cup games in 2005-06 and picked up the third century of his career with 107 at the WACA.

Small at 173cm, Nash follows in the sporting trail of his father, who was a swimmer for Jamaica at Olympic and Commonwealth Games level from 1966 to 1970. After being used only three times in 2006-07, he was not offered a contract and decided to try his luck in Jamaica. He had a strong first campaign, which finished with him scoring a match-winning century in the Carib Challenge final, and after barely 12 months in the Caribbean he was called into the West Indies squad for the ODI tri-series in Canada. A Test promotion also came quickly and he made 23 on debut in the rain-ruined match against New Zealand in Dunedin before a satisfying double of 74 and 65 in Napier. A central contract soon followed and during the Tests against England in the Caribbean Nash provided a buffer between the powerhouses of Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Chris Gayle and Ramnaresh Sarwan and a previously fallible lower order. His sensible batting earned him 239 runs, including a maiden Test century.

When Nash was appointed vice-captain towards the end of 2010 it looked as though his future was secure. Not so. A poor run of form saw him dropped after a home Test against India in 2011, however, and a year later he was left to concentrate on forging a county career with Kent.

ESPNcricinfo staff