Kent skipper Sam Billings admits the current campaign has been the toughest of his professional career yet.

Having faced a delayed start to his season in Canterbury due to the IPL, Billings dislocated his shoulder in his first game back in April against Glamorgan in the Royal London One-Day Cup.

A spell on the sidelines not only quashed his World Cup hopes but would also see him cut a frustrated figure as spectator to much of Kent’s first summer in Division 1 since 2010.

T20 heartbreak at Essex on Friday night further dampened what has proven a disrupted year for the 28-year-old.

“I’ll be honest, it’s been the worst six months of my cricketing career by a mile,” said Billings.

“It’s not ideal at all really. You miss a home World Cup, come back halfway through a (T20) campaign and obviously in a losing side as well.

“From my point of view, it’s been a really tough six months. Such is life. It’s a matter of actually being able to learn from this experience. As horrible as it is, I have to.

“I want this side to win silverware, we obviously got so close last year.”

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Billings is now taking inspiration from the revival of England’s Ashes hero Ben Stokes and his comeback since being acquitted of affray following a late-night street fight in 2017.

Rather than dwelling on an undeniably difficult period, Billings has instead vowed to learn from it.

He said: “From my own personal point of view, I think this will help me not only as a leader but as an individual and as a person.

“Look at Ben Stokes, two years down the line and all of a sudden his life has completely changed around so why couldn’t that happen for me?

“I pride myself on my work ethic, in terms of everything I do and leave no stone unturned.

“For me, it’s a matter of continuing to do that and giving myself the best chance.

“I can live with whatever happens as long as I do that.

“We’ve got a great bunch of guys here, we have to do that as a group as well and it’s my job to drive that on.

“It's been a really tough six months, it's a matter of taking it on board and really growing from it.”

Kent will look to confirm their place in Division 1 when they travel to bottom side Nottinghamshire in the County Championship on Tuesday.

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