The Yorkshire County Cricket Club is delighted to confirm a cohort of eight players on rookie contracts for 2021, whilst a further 12 young cricketers are named as part of the academy and Emerging Player Programme.
Ben Birkhead, George Hill, Dominic Leech, Tom Loten, Josh Sullivan and James Wharton will continue their journey into professional cricket as rookies in 2021 and will be joined by academy graduates Matthew Revis and Harry Duke.
Rookie contracts are the bridge between the academy and the professional squad, with the players training and interacting with the first team. With six of the 2021 cohort having played first team cricket in various forms this year, the steppingstone has proved to be an effective stage in the development of the players.
Martyn Moxon, The Yorkshire County Cricket Club’s Director of Cricket said: “We’ve got eight rookies going into next season and they’ve all got huge potential. Most of them have already played some first team cricket, so we’re very excited about the prospects we have with these young players.
“It’s probably fair to say that all the lads that have come into the first team haven’t looked out of place. There’s still work to do, absolutely, but they’ve all shown potential when they’ve played and that’s what gives us the optimism going forward. They are clearly not the finished articles, but they’ve shown that they are capable.
“It’s fantastic to have this group of young players who are keen to learn, and keen to have success with Yorkshire.”
The Eight Rookies
Birkhead is a talented young wicketkeeper, known for his hard-hitting skills with the bat. The right-handed batsman debuted in List-A cricket in 2019 and made his first Vitality Blast appearance against Derbyshire at Emerald Headingley this year.
Hill, a graduate from Sedbergh School, is an all-rounder with huge potential. Having debuted in the Bob Willis Trophy this year making stand-out contributions with the ball, it is arguably with the bat that the most is expected of Hill in the coming years.
