ALL-ROUNDER Justin Kemp was shocked but delighted to receive his Kent cap ahead of Spitfires’ C&G Trophy clash with Essex in Canterbury on Sunday.

County captain Rob Key sprang the surprise in front of the largest St Lawrence crowd this summer and in recognition of the tall South African’s match-winning performances of late.

He followed his 20-ball half-century against Sussex at Tunbridge Wells, with a 56-ball championship century at Stockton last week that turned the game on its head and helped set up a Kent victory.

Kemp continued his form with a useful 31 from 37 balls on a tricky, two-paced pitch at home to Essex at the weekend.

The 28-year-old tops the county’s championship rankings with an average of 61.5 and an aggregate of 369 from nine innings and has played useful one-day innings in Kent’s eight Trophy ties to date.

After collecting his cap, Kemp said: "It was a nice surprise for sure because I had no idea it was going to happen.

"All the lads had been asked to go out into the middle for the toss but I just assumed we were going to have a late team-talk with the coach.

"Then 'Keysy' came walking toward me with the cap, it was a shock but a really good one."

Kent wrap up their C&G Trophy campaign with Sunday’s dead rubber against The Middlesex Crusaders at Lord’s before going into this year’s Twenty20 Cup qualifiers starting in Beckenham on Tuesday, June 27.