Vertu Motors Sides Get Set For New County Championship Campaign
As we prepare for the first balls being bowled in the opening fixtures of the new County Championship season, it’s time to check out what’s new with the three teams we’ll once again be backing in 2024.
Both Nottinghamshire and Somerset are set to kick things off in Division 1, with Nottinghamshire at home to last season’s runners-up Essex at Trent Bridge, and Somerset heading for Canterbury for an opener with Kent.
Yorkshire meanwhile kick off their bid for promotion from Division 2 against Leicestershire at Headingly.
Nottinghamshire:
Nottinghamshire has bolstered its line-up over the winter with the addition of three new signings, all of whom have made the switch from recently promoted Worcestershire.
Young batsman Jack Haynes, who averaged 30.15 last season with a highest score of 134 not out, has signed a three-year deal and is joined by fast bowlers Dillon Pennington and Josh Tongue, who have agreed similar terms.
Pennington picked up 26 wickets last year at an average of 27.61, with Tongue taking 16 at an average of 30.31.
Brett Hutton, who was top wicket-taker in the County Championship last year, is amongst those to have signed new contracts and has committed his future to the county with a two-year extension that runs until the end of 2026.
Elsewhere, Haseeb Hameed takes on the role of Club Captain from this season, taking over from Steven Mullaney after he took the decision stand down from the role after six years.
After 15 years with the county, and more than 200 first class wickets, Jake Ball has moved on to pastures new, with Samit Patel – a veteran of more than 600 Nottinghamshire matches across all formats – also bringing the curtain down on his career with the club.
They have now signed for Somerset and Derbyshire respectively.
In terms of overseas players, South African Dane Patterson is moving into the second year of his current two-year deal having taken 50 County Championship wickets last season at an average of 27.80.
Following a successful three match spell last year, in which he averaged 59.80 and hit a highest score of 145, New Zealander Will Young returns on a deal that will see him appear in seven County Championship games whilst also competing in the Vitality Blast.
Somerset:
The main addition to the Somerset line-up for the new season is the aforementioned Ball, who has signed up for at least two years – with an option for a third.
Part of the reason for the decision to sign Ball is the departure of bowler Jack Brooks, who picked up 125 wickets after joining from Yorkshire back in 2019. Fellow veteran Steven Davies has also moved on after announcing his retirement from playing, whilst George Bartlett has switched to Northamptonshire.
New contracts for Ben Green and Tom Abell have seen both commit their future to the county, as has James Rew – who will be looking to build on his stunning 2023 that ended with him scoring more than 1,000 runs and earning the Professional Cricket Association’s young player of the year.
Big things are also expected of Shoaib Bashir, who made his England test debut on the tour of India on the back of just six first class appearances last season.
Lewis Gregory takes on the role of Club Captain for the new season looking to emulate the success he enjoyed last year in leading the T20 side to the Vitality Blast title. Gregory has scored more than 6,000 runs and taken over 550 wickets for the county, and takes over the role from Abell after he elected to stand down in order to focus on his own game.
The new overseas player for the county will be Australian all-rounder Will Sutherland, who arrives from his homeland where he has been playing with the Melbourne Renegades. More proficient with the ball than the bat, he has taken 115 first class wickets at an average of just 25.32.
Yorkshire:
Of the three sides backed by Vertu Motors, Yorkshire are the ones seeking to try and gain promotion this season as they head into a second year in Division 2.
Having joined the team on loan last season, and taking five wickets on his debut, Dan Moriarty makes a full-time switch from Surrey having inked a three-year deal and will strengthen Yorkshire’s bowling attack.
In terms of departures, both Will Fraine and Jack Shutt have moved on to pastures new after being released at the end of their respective contracts, whilst Ben Mike has ended a three-year deal early to make a return to his former club Leicestershire.
Elsewhere within the squad, Joe Root’s decision not to return to the IPL will open him up for further appearances in the County Championship before England’s summer test series against the West Indies in what promises to be a huge boost.
Pakistan captain Shan Masood continues in the role of overseas player for a second year, having scored nearly 1,000 runs last season – with a highest score of 192 and a battering average of 60.
Masood will also once again hold the same captaincy role with Yorkshire during the upcoming season.