Matt Henry, pictured playing for New Zealand in 2017, took career-best figures of 7-42 for Kent in English county cricket.

Seamer Matt Henry continues to push his case for greater Black Caps opportunities this home summer with another eye-catching performance in English county cricket.

Playing for Kent, Henry nabbed career-best figures of 7-42 against Northamptonshire in their division two four-day match at the St Lawrence Ground at Canterbury.

Henry has nine wickets for the match, snaring 2-28 in Northants' second dig, where they are in trouble at 56-3, requiring another 264 runs to win on the final day.

Canterbury's Henry has been in outstanding touch for Kent in all forms over the English summer. He is the leading wicket taker in all of county cricket, capturing 59 wickets at a stunning average of 14.61 from just eight matches.

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Sussex medium pacer Ollie Robinson is second with 56 at 18.48. Lancashire's former English international Graham Onions has the most in division one with 51 at 21.33.

Henry's standout performances won't be lost on his former Canterbury provincial coach Gary Stead, who has succeeded Mike Hesson as New Zealand coach.

He has battled for a decent run in the New Zealand test side in recent summers with the experienced trio of Tim Southee, Trent Boult, and Neil Wagner preferred.

The Black Caps' next assignment is against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates, beginning on October 31 with the first of three Twenty20 matches. Henry, who is in the test and one-day squads, will struggle to break into the test 11 on spinner-friendly wickets, despite his rich vein of form in England.

Henry has played just nine tests for New Zealand since his debut in 2015 and only featured in one test over the last home summer against the West Indies in Hamilton, taking 3-96 for the match.

Earlier in the county season, Henry also took seven wickets in an innings against Durham claiming 7-45 at Chester-le-Street in late April. His match figures of 12-73 were a career best.

In the English one-day competition, Henry finished tied for second on the wicket chart with 16 at 34.43 to help Kent through to the final against Hampshire, which they lost by 61 runs.