Joe Denly

Joseph Liam Denly (born 16 March 1986) is an English professional cricketer who plays for Kent County Cricket Club. He is a right-handed batsman and occasional leg break bowler who plays as a top-order batsman. Denly played age group cricket for Kent and began his professional career with the county before moving to Middlesex for three seasons between 2012 and 2014. He won the Professional Cricketers' Association Player of the Year award in 2018 and was named the season's Most Valuable Player.

Denly has represented England in Test, One Day International (ODI) and Twenty20 International (T20I) matches. He played age group cricket for England and made 14 one-day appearances for the international team between 2009 and 2010 before falling out of favour with the national selectors. He was called back into the England Test match and one-day squads in 2018 following two seasons of good performances for Kent, making his Test debut for England in January 2019.

Early life

Denly was born in Canterbury in 1986. He attended Chaucer Technology School in the city.Joe Denly
CricInfo. Retrieved 2016-10-31.Hoad A (2014
Former Kent and England batsman Joe Denly is expected to return to Kent from Middlesex in October 2014
'' Kent Online'', 2014-10-13. Retrieved 2018-10-26. Denly played football for Charlton Athletic's academy as a teenager and played for Whitstable Town under-18s, breaking his arm in a match.Bull A (2009
Joe Denly's football injury embarrasses an England intent on finding stability
'' The Guardian'', 2009-09-04. Retrieved 2014-10-26.Martin A (2018
Joe Denly: ‘I went missing for a few years. I had to start enjoying it again’
'' The Guardian'', 2018-09-30. Retrieved 2018-10-25. His brother, Sam, most recently managed Kent-based football club Hythe Town.Who are the best young managers in the Non-League game?
'' The Non-League Paper'', 2018-06-20. Retrieved 2018-06-25. Denly, his brother and his father Nick have all played cricket for Whitstable Cricket Club in the Kent Cricket League.Derby decided in final over
''Kentish Gazette'', 2017-06-17. Retrieved 2018-10-26.
CricketArchive. Retrieved 2018-10-26.

Domestic career

Denly played for Kent County Cricket Club at every age level and was a member of the county's cricket academy. He made his first-class cricket debut for the county in 2004 against Oxford University aged 18 before playing his first County Championship match against Gloucestershire the following season.Joe Denly: Kent signing targets promotion with 'home club'
BBC Sport, 2014-10-22. Retrieved 2018-10-26. At the end of the 2005 season he was given an extension to his contract.Kent release Alamgir Sheriyar
CricInfo, 2005-10-19. Retrieved 2018-10-27.

Denly scored his maiden professional century in 2007, carrying his bat for 115 not out out of a Kent total of only 199 against Hampshire at Canterbury.Kent star Denly defies Aussie duo
BBC Sport, 2007-05-23, Retrieved 2007-05-23.Lyles C (2007
Denly goes all the way for Kent
'' The Daily Telegraph'', 2007-05-24. Retrieved 2018-10-26. In July Denly was called up to the England Lions squad for the match against India, and made 83 off 90 balls. In his first season, he brought up 1,000 first-class runs.

The 2008 season began slowly with a series of low scores. He did, however, make a career best score of 149 against Somerset at Tunbridge Wells and go on to end the season as one of the year's highly rated players.Howells K (2008
Kevin Howells' team of the season
BBC Sport, 2008-09-25. Retrieved 2009-08-17.

Denly has spent several English off-seasons, starting in 2006–07, playing in Australia in the Sydney Grade Cricket competition for UTS Balmain (now known as Sydney Cricket Club), in part to improve his back foot play.Berry S (2009
Joe Denly aiming to put England on to the front foot
''Daily Telegraph'', 2009-08-29. Retrieved 2016-10-31.Wu A (2010
Ashes dream turns to dust – England discard hits Sydney grade scene
''Sydney Morning Herald'', 2010-10-29. Retrieved 2016-10-31.Braid M (2010
Denly hopes to join in English run parade
''Sydney Morning Herald'', 2010-12-09. Retrieved 2016-10-31. He returned to the club for the 2016–17 season.Callinan D (2016
Newcastle Steel defeated by Daniel Smith and Joe Denly-inspired Sydney Cricket Club in NSW Premier Twenty20 Cup
''Newcastle Herald'', 2016-10-30. Retrieved 2016-10-31.

On 9 September 2011, Denly surpassed his previous high score of 149 and recorded a score of 199 against Derbyshire. On 28 September 2011, Denly moved from Kent to newly promoted Middlesex.Joe Denly has signed for Middlesex
Middlesex County Cricket Club, 2011-09-28. Retrieved 2013-09-0
Archived
2012-04-03.Struggling Kent lose Paul Farbrace, Martin van Jaarsveld and Joe Denly
'' The Guardian'', 2011-09-28. Retrieved 2018-10-26. He returned to Kent in October 2014 after three seasons with Middlesex, ending his contract with Middlesex a year early to do so.Former England batsman Joe Denly agrees return to Kent Cricket after being released by Middlesex
'' Kent Online'', 2014-10-30. Retrieved 2016-05-16.Joe Denly: Kent re-sign Middlesex batsman as Nash & Adams stay
BBC Sport, 2014-10-20. Retrieved 2018-10-26. His time at Middlesex was disappointing with him unable to perform consistently, scoring "just 1,829 Championship runs" in his time with the club and after averaging around 20 runs per innings in his final season with the club.

Denly improved on his first-class high score in May 2016 when he scored 206 not out in the first innings of a match against Northamptonshire, his maiden first-class double century.Stokes M (2016
Kent batsman Joe Denly says his unbeaten double century against Northamptonshire was among the best knocks of his career
'' Kent Online'', 2016-05-18. Retrieved 2016-10-31. He signed a long-term contract extension during August 2016,Hoad A (2016
Kent batsman Joe Denly has signed a long-term contract extension.
'' Kent Online'', 2016-08-15. Retrieved 2016-10-31. having made headlines earlier in the year when he retired not out in a County Championship match against Derbyshire at Derby when his wife went into labour unexpectedly early with the couple's first child.Dickson double and late drama changes game
CricInfo, 2016-05-24. Retrieved 2016-10-31.Tredwell, Bell-Drummond complete great Kent comeback
CricInfo, 2016-05-25. Retrieved 2016-10-31.Hoad A (2016
Kent beat Derbyshire by seven wickets in the Specsavers County Championship thanks to career bests by Sean Dickson and Calum Haggett
'' Kent Online'', 2016-05-25. Retrieved 2016-10-31. At the beginning of 2016, Denly gave up alcohol for a year in order to raise money for Cancer Research UK and the Professional Cricketers' Association benevolent fund, raising more than £4,000.Hoad A (2016
Kent and England batsman Joe Denly gives up alcohol for a year to raise money for Cancer Research and PCA Benevolent Fund
'' Kent Online'', 2016-01-14. Retrieved 2016-10-31.Joe Denly raises more than £4,000 for charity
Kent County Cricket Club, 2017-02-03. Retrieved 2017-02-04.
Archived
2017-02-05.) After signing a contract extension in August 2016,Joe Denly: Kent batsman signs new contract with Division Two club
BBC Sport, 2017-08-15. Retrieved 2017-07-17. Denly further improved his first-class high score on 21 May 2017 when he made 227 in the second innings of a Championship match against Worcestershire. His innings put Kent on course for victory, but Worcestershire successfully chased a target of 399 the following day.Worcestershire v Kent: Joe Denly hits career-best double century as hosts face stiff target
BBC Sport, 2017-06-21. Retrieved 2017-06-23.

The 2018 domestic season saw Denly lead the MVP rankings in the Royal London Cup and T20 Blast and win the overall MVP award.Fordham J (2018
Sam Billings and Joe Denly commit future to Kent
'' Kent Online'', 2018-07-10. Retrieved 2018-09-22.Denly returns hunting silverware
Sydney Sixers, 2018-09-19. Retrieved 2018-09-22. He signed a contract extension during the season and scored centuries in both one-day competitions, setting a new List A record highest score for Kent with a score of 150 against Glamorgan at Canterbury and, against Surrey at The Oval, became the first player in any form of T20 cricket to score a century and take a hat-trick in the same match. During the season he scored three Championship centuries, scored 1,729 runs and bowled far more frequently than in the past, taking 57 wickets in all formats of the game,Captain Joe Root calls on Joe Denly to seize the day in second Test
CricInfo, 2019-01-30. Retrieved 2019-01-30. including 23 in the County Championship at a bowling average of 18.5.Naylor G (2018
The five county cricketers of the year
'' The Guardian'', 2018-10-01. Retrieved 2018-10-26.England call up Rory Burns, Joe Denly & Olly Stone for Sri Lanka tour
BBC Sport, 2018-09-21. Retrieved 2018-09-22.Wigmore T (2018
England could pick Rory Burns and Joe Denly for winter Sri Lanka tour as life after Alastair Cook begins
'' The Daily Telegraph'', 2018-09-03. Retrieved 2018-09-22.Dobell G (2018
'Never give up on that dream' - Joe Denly reflects on remarkable England comeback
CricInfo, 2018-10-27. Retrieved 2018-10-27. At the end of the season he was voted Players' Player of the Year at the Professional Cricketers' Association awards, beating teammate Matt Henry and Surrey batsman Rory BurnsJoe Denly named Players' Player of the Year at PCA awards
BBC Sport, 2018-10-04. Retrieved 2018-10-05. and was called into the England squad for the first time since 2010.

International career

Denly played for England age group sides from under-17 to under-19 levels, scoring three half-centuries in consecutive matches for the under-19s in India in 2005.Briggs S (2007
Joe Denly showed potential taking on India
'' The Daily Telegraph'', 2007-07-16. Retrieved 2018-10-26. He captained the ECB Development of Excellence team and first played for England Lions in 2007.Weaver P (2009
Joe Denly dares to dream of following Jonathan Trott's lead
'' The Guardian'', 2009-08-28. Retrieved 2018-10-26.Tennant I (2018
Don’t discount Joe Denly, he’s in form of his life
''The Times'', 2018-09-05. Retrieved 2018-10-26. He was called up to England's squad for the One Day International (ODI) series against Australia on 17 August 2009,Pietersen out of England ODI squad
Cricinfo, 2009-08-17. Retrieved 2009-08-17.Joe Denly is England's sole new face in T20 and ODI squads
'' The Guardian'', 2009-08-17. Retrieved 2018-10-26. and made his international debut in the ODI match against Ireland on 27 August 2009, opening the innings and top-scoring with 67. Denly made his international Twenty20 debut against Australia on 30 August 2009, though the result was a golden duck. The same result was achieved in his second Twenty20 against South Africa. He injured his knee in a football warmup ahead of a match against Australia in 2009 and missed the first three matches of the ODI series.

He toured Bangladesh with England in 2010 and played in the Champions Trophy team which reached the semi-finals in the same year.Kent batsmen Joe Denly eyes England Test call
BBC Sport, 2010-02-02. Retrieved 2018-10-26. Denly was dropped from the England squad in the run up to the 2010 World T20.MacPherson W (2018
Joe Denly: Once dropped as a plodder, he is now the destroyer for the Sydney Sixers
''Evening Standard'', 2018-04-10. Retrieved 2018-04-19.

In September 2018 he was named in England's Test squad for the series against Sri Lanka in November.Rory Burns, Olly Stone, Joe Denly named in Sri Lanka Test squad
CricInfo, 2018-09-21. Retrieved 2018-09-21.Martin A 92018
England select Rory Burns and Joe Denly for Sri Lanka Test series
'' The Guardian'', 2018-09-21. Retrieved 2018-09-22. Following an injury to Liam Dawson, Denly was called into the England limited-overs squad during the tour of Sri Lanka,Liam Dawson ruled out of tour, Joe Denly called up
CricInfo, 2018-10-15. Retrieved 2018-10-15.Martin A (2018
Joe Denly checks in early as England ponder slowing down the attack
'' The Guardian'', 2018-10-19. Retrieved 2018-10-26. though he did not play in the ODI series. He made his return to international cricket in the single T20I match played on the tour, 3,102 days after his last international appearance. He scored 20 runs, opened the bowling and took four wickets on his return to the England side, winning the player of the match award. His figures of 4/19 were the second best bowling figures by an England bowler in T20Is.Miller A (2018
Joe Denly comes full circle after 384-match break between England appearances
CricInfo, 2018-10-27. Retrieved 2018-10-27.Skelton J (2018
Sri Lanka v England: Joe Denly stars on international return as tourists win by 30 runs
BBC Sport, 2018-10-27. Retrieved 2018-10-27.Fernando AF (2018
Jason Roy blazes way before Joe Denly four-for seals hefty England win
CricInfo, 2018-10-27. Retrieved 2018-10-27.Denly stars with the ball for England in T20I
Kent County Cricket Club, 2018-10-27. Retrieved 2017-10-27.

Despite not playing in any of the three Tests on the Sri Lankan tour, Denly was subsequently named in both the Test and one-day squads for England's tour of the West Indies in early 2019.England v West Indies: Tourists' Test squad unchanged for winter tour
BBC Sport, 2018-12-10. Retrieved 2018-12-10.England stick with unchanged Test group for West Indies
CricInfo, 2018-12-10. Retrieved 2018-12-10. He made his Test debut for England against the West Indies on 31 January.Skelton J (2019
England in West Indies: Tourists bowled out for 187 in second Test
BBC Sport, 2019-01-31. Retrieved 2019-01-31.

In April 2019, he was named in England's provisional squad for the 2019 Cricket World Cup.Jofra Archer misses World Cup cut but included to play Ireland, Pakistan
CricInfo, 2019-04-17. Retrieved 2019-04-17.England leave out Jofra Archer from World Cup squad
International Cricket Council, 2019-04-17. Retrieved 2019-04-17. The following month, Denly played in his first ODI match for ten years, in the one-off fixture against Ireland in Malahide.Foakes makes World Cup claim and Little emerges.... Ireland v England Talking Points
''The Cricketer'', 2019-05-03. Retrieved 2019-05-03. On 21 May 2019, England finalised their squad for the World Cup, with Denly not named in the final 15-man team.

In May, Denly was named in a group of 55 players to begin training ahead of international fixtures during the COVID-19 pandemic. and in June was selected included in England's 30-man squad to start training behind closed doors for the Test series against the West Indies. He went on to play in the first Test of the series before being replaced for the second match after the return of England's captain Joe Root.Shemilt S (2020
England v West Indies: Joe Denly left out of second Test
BBC Sport, 2020-07-15. Retrieved 2020-07-16.

T20 franchise cricket

After playing for Barisal Burners in the 2012–13 Bangladesh Premier League and returning to the country in 2014 to play for Brothers Union in domestic limited overs cricket, Denly was selected in 2017 by Dhaka Dynamites as an overseas player in the Bangladesh Premier League draft. He made his Dhaka debut in late November in the 2017–18 Bangladesh Premier League, scoring 44 runs on debut against Chittagong Vikings.Mohammad Isam (2017
Lewis helps Dhaka scale their highest BPL chase
CricInfo, 2017-11-27. Retrieved 2017-11-27. He played in Dhaka's final six matches of the tournament as the team reached the final of the competition where they lost to Rangpur Riders.Mohammad Isam (2017
Gayle's record 146* carries Rangpur to maiden title
CricInfo, 2017-12-12. Retrieved 2018-02-05.Bangladesh Premier League, 2017/18 - Dhaka Dynamites / Batting And Bowling Averages
CricInfo. Retrieved 2018-02-05.

In 2018, Denly joined the Sydney Sixers as a replacement for Jason Roy when he was selected by the national team in the 2017-18 Big Bash League season.Sydney Sixers sign Denly
Sydney Sixers. Retrieved 2018-01-25. He performed well in his four games, scoring 146 runs at an average of 73.00 with a top score of 72 not out.Joe Denly returns to Sydney Sixers after prolific T20 season
CricInfo, 2018-09-19. Retrieved 2018-10-28. He was player of the match in the Sixers final match of the tournament against Melbourne Stars, making 72 runs from 45 balls and taking one wicket.36th Match (N), Big Bash League at Sydney, Jan 23 2018
CricInfo. Retrieved 2018-01-25. After captaining Kent in the Caribbean Regional Super50 competition, Denly played 12 matches for Karachi Kings in the 2018 Pakistan Super League where he was the fourth highest run scorer in the competition with 323 runs.

In September 2018 Sydney Sixers announced that they had re-signed Denly for whole of the 2018–19 Big Bash,Joe Denly returns to Sydney Sixers after prolific T20 season
ESPN, 2018-09-19. Retrieved 2018-09-21. although following his selection for the England tour to the Caribbean he was only able to play of the side until early January.Denly's calm and Philippe's dash lift Sixers to second
CricInfo, 2019-01-06. Retrieved 2019-01-06. Later that year, Denly was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders in the 2019 IPL Auction.IPL: Sam Curran bought for £800,000 and Jonny Bairstow for £250,000
BBC Sport, 2018-12-18. Retrieved 2018-12-18.

In December 2020, Denly signed a contract to play for Brisbane Heat in the 2020–21 Big Bash. Due to quarantine restrictions in place because of the COVID-19 pandemic, he will be available to play for the team from early January 2021.Brisbane Heat confirm signing of English international Joe Denly
''The Australian'', 2020-12-13. Retrieved 2020-12-13.

Career best performances

As of July 2022, Denly has scored 30 first-class centuries, including two double-centuries and a score of 199. His highest individual score of 227 runs was made in June 2017 against Worcestershire at New Road.Denly's career-best 227* makes Worcestershire swelter
CricInfo, 2017-06-21. Retrieved 2017-07-15.Ammon E (2017
Denly’s 227 puts Kent in control
''The Times'', 2017-06-22. Retrieved 2017-07-15. Denly's first double-century was scored the previous season against Northants, surpassing his previous highest score of 199 made against Derbyshire in 2011.Selvey M (2016
Kent’s Joe Denly dominates Northants but pitch has draw written all over it
'' The Guardian'', 2016-05-16. Retrieved 2017-07-15.County Championship: Kent's Joe Denly hits double ton but Northants fight back
BBC Sport, 2016-05-16. Retrieved 2017-07-15.Kent's Denly falls short of double ton against Derbyshire
BBC Sport, 2011-09-09. Retrieved 2017-07-15. His maiden first-class century, a score of 115 not out, was made in his first full season as a professional in 2007 against Hampshire, an innings in which Denly carried his bat.Rae R (2007
Denly hits debut century and carries bat on day for bowlers
'' The Guardian'', 2007-05-24. Retrieved 2017-07-15.

In July 2017 Denly, batting with Sean Dickson, made 182 runs in a second wicket partnership of 382 runs against Northants at Beckenham. This set a new Kent record for any partnership in first-class cricket, surpassing the previous record of 368 runs set in 1990.Dickson's 318 tops day of Kent records
CricInfo, 2017-07-04. Retrieved 2017-07-04.Milton H (2016) 'Team Records' in Reid J (ed) ''2016 Kent County Cricket Club Annual'', pp.199–202, Canterbury: Kent County Cricket Club

He has made a further eight List A centuries and five in Twenty20 matches. He set the Kent record for the highest individual score in a Twenty20 match with a score of 116 not out made in July 2017 against Surrey at The Oval. During the same match he and Daniel Bell-Drummond set the record for any wicket partnership for the county, scoring 163 runs for the first wicket.Hoad A (2017
Joe Denly hits an unbeaten century as Kent Spitfires beat Surrey by eight wickets in NatWest T20 Blast South Group
'' Kent Online'', 2017-07-14. Retrieved 2017-07-15.Mitchell B (2017
T20 Blast: Lancashire v Yorkshire ends in a tie, Joe Denly & Clint McKay shine
BBC Sport, 2017-07-14. Retrieved 2017-07-15. He broke his own record in August 2017, scoring 127 against Essex at Chelmsford. Remarkably during the same match, Denly and Bell-Drummond again broke the county's record partnership for any wicket, this time adding 207 for the first wicket. This was also a world record opening partnership in Twenty20 cricket, and the third highest in the world for any wicket in the format.World-record opening stand for Denly and Bell-Drummond
CricInfo, 2017-08-17. Retrieved 2017-08-17. In May 2018 Denly went on to set the Kent record for the highest individual score in List A cricket, scoring 150 not out against Glamorgan at Canterbury.One-Day Cup: Denly stars as Kent beat Glamorgan by four wickets
BBC Sport, 2018-05-25. Retrieved 2018-05-25.

Denly has been described as an "occasional"Joe Denly demolishes Surrey with century and hat-trick
CricInfo, 2018-07-06. Retrieved 2018-07-07. leg-spin bowler with a style of bowling which is best suited to limited-overs cricket - his approach has been described as "he stands tall and brings the ball down with plenty of over-spin to pitch near the batsman’s toes and go under flailing bats".Berry S (2018
Joe Denly impresses for England but Rory Burns will now get chance to impress
'' The Daily Telegraph'', 2018-10-28. Retrieved 2018-10-29. His best bowling figures in first-class cricket of 4/36 were taken during the 2018 season against Derbyshire at Derby, the first time he had taken four wickets in a first-class innings.County Championship: Kent beat Derbyshire to climb to second in Division Two
BBC Sport, 2018-09-01. Retrieved 2018-09-01.Joe Denly shakes off illness to help spin out Derbyshire
CricInfo, 2018-09-01. Retrieved 2018-09-01. Earlier in the same season he had taken 3/24 against Warwickshire at Tunbridge Wells with the wickets taken in six balls at the end of Warwickshire's second innings to win the match for Kent.Edwards P (2018
Harry Podmore and Joe Denly deny Warwickshire's bid to break 93-year-old record
CricInfo, 2018-06-23. Retrieved 2018-07-07. In June of the same season he took a hat-trick in Kent's opening T20 match of the season, having scored his fourth T20 century during Kent's innings. This was the first time in professional T20 cricket that a player had scored a century and taken a hat-trick in the same match.Spitfires sink Surrey as Denly dominates
Kent County Cricket Club, 2018-07-06. Retrieved 2018-07-07.von Behr P (2018
Joe Denly becomes first man to score century and take a hat-trick in the same T20 match
''The Times'', 2018-07-07. Retrieved 2018-07-07. In October 2018 he took four wickets in a T20 match for the first time with figures of 4/19 on his return to the England side against Sri Lanka – at the time the second best bowling figures by any England bowler in T20I matches and the best by a spin bowler.Dollard R (2018
Joe Denly returns in style as England sign off limited-overs tour with classy win against Sri Lanka
''The Independent'', 2018-10-27. Retrieved 2018-10-27.

''As of 5 June 2022''

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Denly, Joe
1986 births
Living people
English cricketers
England Test cricketers
England One Day International cricketers
England Twenty20 International cricketers
Kent cricketers
Middlesex cricketers
Sportspeople from Canterbury
Marylebone Cricket Club cricketers
Barisal Bulls cricketers
Dhaka Dynamites cricketers
Kolkata Knight Riders cricketers
Karachi Kings cricketers
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Cricketers at the 2019 Cricket World Cup
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