Picture by Alex Davidson/Getty Images. Hannah Rainey is set to debut for Yorkshire on Saturday.
Hannah Rainey is relishing the prospect of playing a significant role in the early stages of Yorkshire’s journey into Tier 1 next season after signing a two-year contract with the county.
Scotland fast bowler Rainey, 28, has crossed the Pennines from Lancashire, joining the White Rose a few months early on loan to finish the 2025 campaign.
The right-arm seamer can’t wait to get started, with the plan to debut against Glamorgan in Saturday’s Metro Bank One-Day Cup 2 clash at Weetwood (10.30am). Initially it was hoped that she would debut in last Saturday’s defeat to Middlesex at Headingley, but a niggle meant otherwise.
Rainey has goals both in the short-term and the long-term.
First of all, she wants to finish the season well and help Yorkshire clinch 50-over silverware. They are very much in the running with four group games left this month.
Long-term, she aims to help the county establish themselves at the top table of county cricket.
“I’m really excited,” said Rainey. “I think it’s a really good time for me to make the move, to end the season as well as possible and to get integrated with the squad before the start of winter. And it’s been a really warm welcome.
Picture by Alex Davidson/Getty Images. Hannah Rainey has signed a two-year contract with Yorkshire for 2026 and 2027.
“With the move to Tier 1 next season, it’s great to be part of a team which is starting out in a new league, or tier, whatever you want to call it.
“We’ve got a relatively young squad at the minute, with some of the more experienced players away in the Hundred, Beth Langston, Sterre Kalis, Rachel Slater and Lauren Winfield-Hill.
“With all those girls back next year, we should actually be quite a strong side. I’m very confident we can do well.
“I played with Lauren when I was at the Oval Invincibles a couple of years ago, and I’m pretty good mates with Slats from the Scotland stuff.”
Rainey spent time on loan with Bears during the mid-season Vitality Blast competition but has been unable to break into Thunder’s team in her second year as a full-time professional.
“I missed most of last season because of a bad knee injury,” she said.
“And because I didn’t get much cricket last year, it’s just been about getting back into the rhythm of bowling. Now, I’m feeling much better, so I’m really hoping I can end the season well.”
Picture by Francois Nel/Getty Images. Hannah Rainey is somewhat of a smiling assassin with ball in hand.
Rainey was born in London but qualifies for Scotland on residency. She moved north of the border when she was 10 and remained there until she finished University.
She has had some eye-catching experiences with Scotland, including being part of their T20 World Cup squad in the United Arab Emirates at the start of last winter.
“I’ve had some brilliant times with Scotland,” she said. “I think it has set me up well coming into this team with experience of many different environments.
“Being involved in the Hundred was a great experience, too. At that time, I was still working pretty much full-time as a vet. And that gave me a taste of what it would be like to be a full-time cricketer.
“I quit my job and decided to go all in at that end of 2023.
“To miss my first season last year being injured was frustrating to say the least. But I’m ready for it now. I can’t wait to get started.”
Rainey comes into an exciting fast-bowling group at Yorkshire, supplementing the likes of Grace Hall, Beth Langston, Rachel Slater, Jess Woolston and Amelia Love.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Rachel Slater, an international team-mate of Hannah Rainey’s, is currently on Hundred duty with the Oval Invincibles.
“Hopefully I can add a bit of experience, but also just learn from the girls,” she continued. “No matter how experienced you are, you can always learn from everyone else.
“Although my age might not say it, I’m still pretty fresh in my career and have got a lot left in the tank.”
For those who are not well versed on Rainey’s attributes, she said: “You know, people often describe me as a nice fast bowler and not an angry one. I’ll always be smiling.
“But I’ve got a bit of pace, I get good bounce, and I’ve got a good back-of-the-hand slower ball. I like using that and bowling in T20s, especially.”
Next summer also sees the T20 World Cup held in England, which Scotland are hoping to qualify for. Their qualification tournament takes place in Nepal in January. Rainey clearly wants to be involved, and if things go well then her and Slater could even be representing their country at Headingley.
First things first, though, and One-Day Cup glory with Yorkshire.
Having won three of five games, the county are fourth in the table with four to play. They have 15 points and are ahead of fifth-placed Worcestershire courtesy of a superior net run-rate. The top four advance to the semi-finals.
Picture by Jan Kruger/Getty Images. Wicketkeeper-batter Abbey Freeborn is on loan with Glamorgan from the Bears.
Saturday’s opponents, Glamorgan, are second on 20 points – three points behind leaders Middlesex – having won four of their five games. They beat Leicestershire by 125 runs at home on Saturday just gone having posted 261-5.
Yorkshire are aiming to bounce back from Saturday’s thrilling seven-run defeat to Middlesex at Headingley when they only just failed to chase down 193.
The White Rose beat Glamorgan in the Vitality Blast semi-final at Northampton a week last Saturday.
Glamorgan are captained by opening batter Lauren Parfitt. They have also signed Abbey Freeborn on loan from Warwickshire. She hit an unbeaten 108 opening against Leicestershire.
Rainey added: “The girls were pretty disappointed to come away from (Blast) Finals Day without a trophy, and that’s given them a bit more fuel and a bit more drive to make sure that we get the trophy in this competition.
“Hopefully I can make a positive impact.”
