BATSMAN Matt Walker has agreed to join Essex on a two-year contract from the 2009 season.

The 34-year-old left-hander is relishing a new challenge in his career after his release from former county Kent was announced last weekend.

Walker, who made his Championship debut in 1994, enjoyed a long and illustrious career with Kent, scoring over 15000 runs in first-class and one-day cricket for the county and Club President Peter Morgan was quick to pay tribute to the player’s career with the Garden of England county.

“Matthew has made a major contribution to Kent cricket during his 16 years with us,” he said. Aside from his huge talent as a cricketer, Matthew’s infectious enthusiasm for life on and off the field has endeared him to everyone connected with Kent cricket.

"We will miss him greatly and wish him and his family well for the rest of his benefit year and into the future.”

Walker admitted that it will be heart-wrenching to leave his home county although he is now looking forward to a fresh start.

"I’ve thoroughly enjoyed a wonderful 16 years at Kent and have made some great friends both on and off the field," he said.

"I am deeply saddened to be leaving the Club that I have always wanted to play for but now look forward to some new challenges.

Speaking to the Essex CCC website, he said: “I was born and bred in Kent and came through their county system, enjoying many happy times over my 16 years there.

"I made a lot of friends among the team and around the ground so it will feel strange not to be there next season but that’s life – players come and go.

"When you are at the same club for so many years you can get into a comfort zone, doing the same things over and over.

“Now I’m moving on to an exciting new challenge with a new set of guys at a new ground.

"I’ve not played as much as I would have liked to this year but I certainly have no intention of winding down my career just yet as I feel I still have plenty to offer. Now I want to show Essex what I can do.

“I already know a fair bit about Essex and some of the players here and have a lot of respect for what they have achieved this season.

"There is a huge potential at the Club and I hope my experience can help the young batsmen out.

“I’ve scored runs consistently and been a steady force in the middle order for some time so I hope to continue that on during my time with Essex.”

Walker, who was awarded a benefit by Kent this summer, has scored 1,000 in a season on three occasions, the most recent in 2006 and although he averaged 40.72 in the championship last season, he has struggled this time around to command a regular place in the side.

Born in Gravesend, he has aggregated 9,768 first-class runs for Kent averaging 36.31 including a total of 28 hundreds with a highest-score of 275 not out against Somerset at Canterbury in 1996.

Essex First-Team Coach Paul Grayson told the Essex CCC website: “Matt’s a very experienced player who is ready for a new challenge. We feel he can offer a few good years to us.

"It’s been evident by our lack of Championship batting points this year that we need an experienced middle order batsman to strengthen the side and we are confident Matt can fulfil that role.

"In one-day cricket he is someone who makes bowlers think and is only going to further improve our squad in that form as well.”