Nottinghamshire’s Joey Evison has opted to join Kent next season having declined a three-year contract at Trent Bridge.

The club has also reluctantly complied with the all-rounder’s request to join the South-East county on a Royal London Cup loan.

“We see Joey as a player of immense promise - one who has come through our system, who we’ve worked really hard on developing and who we think of as one of our own - so for him to be leaving us is bitterly disappointing,” said Nottinghamshire Head Coach Peter Moores.

“We made it clear to Joey that we saw a long and successful future for him at Trent Bridge and offered a contract that was reflective of our desire to keep him at the club.

“We feel as though we’ve done everything we could have done, but Joey has made the decision that he wants to continue his career at Kent.

“It’s a difficult one for us to take, but whilst it’s hard to see past the disappointment at this moment in time, we of course wish him well and will look on with interest as he continues to progress.”

Evison, who is a graduate of Nottinghamshire’s Academy, made his debut for Notts aged 17 in 2019, and has since made nine further First-Class appearances, with injury absences affecting each of the proceeding campaigns. 

He has featured in the red-ball side on four occasions in 2022 - averaging 32 with the bat and claiming three wickets - as well as being handed his Vitality Blast debut for the club against Worcestershire.  

“Injuries aside, Joey has been a regular in and around the red ball side for the past couple of seasons, he would have had a key role to play in our 50-over campaign this summer and there’s no doubt that he was working towards breaking more regularly into our T20 team too,” added Moores. 

“One thing we always want to see is players, at all different points of their careers, getting better - and, in some ways, it feels even more special and rewarding when those cricketers are homegrown. 

“Our members have enjoyed seeing the development of the likes of Lyndon James and Liam Patterson-White as well as Joey in recent times - and I’m sure they will be gutted, as we are, about this news today.”