Haris Rauf will wreck a batting order or two before his short-term spell as Yorkshire’s overseas player is over, believes Darren Gough.
The express fast bowler from Pakistan made his county debut in the opening round LV= Insurance County Championship win over Gloucestershire at Bristol last week, claiming three wickets in each innings.
Rauf was playing only his fifth first-class match having built a superstar reputation via his performances with the white ball.
But Gough, plus his head coach Ottis Gibson, expect the 28-year-old to be a big hit in first-class and Test cricket, which is why he was recruited for the opening six Championship games of 2022.
Ahead of Thursday’s clash with Northamptonshire at Wantage Road (11am), Gough, Yorkshire’s interim managing director of cricket, said: “Haris needs this (county cricket) at this stage of his career.
“He’s mainly played and bowled four overs, so he’s raw.
“He reminds me a little bit of myself when I first started, a bit all over the shop at times, but when he gets it right, he’ll go bang, bang, bang.
“And the reason we signed him is that we’ve got good bowlers here. We’ve got a good bowling attack, but what we need is somebody who has that express pace.
“We’ve got guys who can control the momentum of the game.
“We’ve got Patterson, we’ve got Thompson. He is someone as well who’s improved massively. I think he’s a good performer.
“We’ve got Fisher. We’ve got Bess to take control. But you need a strike bowler in any team.
