Wisden overview
A medium-paced seam bowler with a high stretching action, and a limited but combative middle-order batsman, John Kent was called into the South African one-day squad in April 2002, as cover for Lance Klusener. In the 2000-01 season, Kent had averaged over 40 with the bat and 25 with the ball and his selection was justifiable, but South Africa's captain Shaun Pollock seemed unsure of his qualities. In Kent's first two games, he did not bat and was limited to eight expensive overs - including only two in Australia's record-breaking win at Port Elizabeth. In that same match, Kent earned a tongue-lashing from Graeme Smith for some lax fielding towards the close. But he is still young, and as South Africa regroup ahead of the 2003 World Cup he has time on his side. Andrew Miller

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