Kent earn County Championship promotion as Hollioake credits players for 'remarkable turnaround'

Kent return to top flight after two-year exile

Kent will return to Division One of the County Championship in 2027 after securing promotion from Division Two with a three-day victory over Gloucestershire on Saturday.

Their place at the top was confirmed earlier in the day when Northamptonshire were beaten by Middlesex, guaranteeing that Kent would finish runners-up to Durham in the second tier.

'A pretty remarkable turnaround'

Head coach Adam Hollioake, who took charge of the club following their relegation in 2024, said the players "deserve all of the credit" for the achievement.

"I feel like we've been working towards it for a while and I've been quietly confident for a while, but I think it's just a nice relief to have it actually done," Hollioake told BBC Radio Kent.

His first season in charge had ended with Kent bottom of Division Two, winning just two of their 14 matches. The 2026 campaign began with two draws and an innings defeat by Worcestershire, but the side then won eight of their subsequent 11 Championship matches to secure a return to the top flight.

"I wasn't confident at all last year and even after three games this year, I was questioning myself as a coach and I think all the players were questioning themselves as well, so it's been a pretty remarkable turnaround and credit to all the players for the way they've responded," Hollioake said.

"[As a coach] it's really easy to stand there and tell people what they should be doing, but it's actually really hard to go out there and actually do it, so the players deserve all of the credit.

"Their ability this year to go out and execute the plans and pick themselves up, after what was a really tough start to the season, has been the main reason for our turnaround and our success."

Key contributions with bat and ball

Four Kent batters scored 700 or more Championship runs during the 2026 season, with Sam Northeast leading the way on 890. The seamers Matt Milnes (54 wickets) and Keith Dudgeon (42 wickets) were the side's leading wicket-takers.

'The work begins now'

Hollioake, who appeared in four Tests and 35 one-day internationals for England as a player, said promotion was an achievement to be celebrated by everyone at the club — though he joked that the "grumpy old man" in him would point to Kent finishing 12th of the 18 first-class counties in 2026.

"The work begins now when we get up to Division One," Hollioake said. "We'll enjoy this but we've got to keep on improving."