Kent have taken the unusual step of disabling comment functions on their social media accounts as part of a "duty of care" to players. The county, who were relegated from County Championship Division One in 2024, are winless in three matches this season and currently sit bottom of Division Two.

Head coach Adam Hollioake stated the decision was not about stopping people voicing opinions, but protecting players when criticism "crosses the line" and becomes damaging to them, their families and loved ones. Kent have more than 104,000 followers on X and over 64,000 on Instagram. The club has not specified how long the suspension will last.

The move comes amid a difficult period on and off the field. Kent have lost several key players including Ollie Robinson to Durham, Jordan Cox to Essex, and seamer Nathan Gilchrist to Warwickshire. Opening batsman Zak Crawley, who seems destined to lose his England place after a poor Ashes, has managed a highest score of just 31 in Championship matches this season.

Hollioake, 54, has spoken openly about his personal connection to player welfare. His brother Ben died in a car accident in 2002, and he was close to Graham Thorpe, who took his own life in 2024 following a long struggle with mental health. "I've seen in recent times two players and friends that I played alongside for England go down a bad path in terms of mental health and I've lost both of them," Hollioake said.