Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Claudie Cooper started the season impressively at Somerset on Saturday.
Off-spinner Claudie Cooper returns to her former stomping ground on Wednesday having spoken of her love for her new life with Yorkshire.
Cooper, aged 23, is a Surrey native. Born not far away in Guildford, she knows the Oval like the back of her hand. That’s the venue for Yorkshire’s second game of the season, a Metro Bank One-Day Cup clash, starting at 10.30am.
Signed from Surrey ahead of 2025, she has settled in seamlessly at Headingley. Only last week, she signed a contract extension with the White Rose to see her through until at least the end of 2027.
On Saturday, she was instrumental in oh so nearly gaining Yorkshire an opening day win against Somerset as they fought hard to defend a 179-total before losing by one wicket.
Cooper finished with 3-28 from nine overs, including a caught and bowled.
“When I first moved up here, I was quite shy within myself, in my shell, because I hadn’t met most of these people,” she said.
“I’d moved five hours away from home.
“But, then, being able to get confidence from playing good cricket, I think I got myself into a better state. Now, I’m in the best state I’ve been.
Picture by Somerset Cricket. Claudie Cooper bowls in Saturday’s season opener against Somerset at Taunton, where she claimed three wickets.
“I’m super settled and just ready to get stuck into Tier 1 this summer.
“It’s absolutely brilliant here. I love it.”
Cooper was undoubtedly one of the key cogs in a successful summer for Yorkshire in 2025, one which saw them win the Tier 2 50-over competition in addition to reaching the final of the Vitality Blast.
The county also reached the quarter-finals of the County T20 Cup.
Cooper struck 38 times last summer for Yorkshire in all cricket, including friendlies, with a best of 3-22 in an early-season T20 win over Derbyshire.
She was also superb in the field, with one catch against Essex at Headingley in the County Cup – a sharp caught and bowled effort to remove Grace Scrivens – particularly memorable.
Cooper also had a habit of striking in her first over of a spell.
“I’m really happy with where I am at the minute,” she continued. “Bowling, batting and physically as well.
Picture courtesy of Somerset Cricket. Openers Ines Blackwell and Lauren Winfield-Hill stride to the middle at Taunton on Saturday. They are set to do the same at the Kia Oval on Wednesday.
“This is probably the strongest and fittest I’ve ever felt.”
Cooper’s thirst for improvement has seen her work through “quite a big a change” in her bowling action.
“There’s been a slight change in my run-up, and then also my grip to try and help with a bit more spin, drift and dip. I feel a lot better with it now.”
Cooper has had a lot of chance to work on that change, having spent time abroad on training camps and pre-season tours in Mumbai, Cape Town and Potchefstroom during the last two months.
The trip to Mumbai, alongside Erin Thomas and head coach Rich Pyrah, through mid-February was especially useful for working on spin bowling given the conditions.
“The coaches I worked with out there, alongside Rich, were brilliant,” she said. “They gave a lot of information, and parts of it I’ve been able to use.”
The Cape Town trip which followed almost immediately was with the Yorkshire Cricket College. Herself, Ria Fackrell and Maddie Ward all went out there in player-coach roles.
“The coaching side of things is something I’m quite interested in,” she said. “I used to do a lot of hockey coaching as well as cricket coaching when I was younger.
Picture by Jason McCawley/Getty Images. Surrey’s new overseas signing Maitlin Brown.
“That was an enjoyable trip, too.”
Cooper played regional cricket for the South East Stars before moving up to Yorkshire, and she was a mainstay of the Surrey team in the old county structure prior to 2025.
“I’m really excited about this one,” she said. “I always love playing at the Oval. I love bowling there, and I think we’ve got a pretty good chance.
“We’ve all worked really hard this winter, and this is the best environment I’ve ever been a part of.
“Going down there, Surrey, it’s an opportunity for us to show what we can do against a good team, and hopefully we can come together and get a win.”
Surrey were opening day winners against Warwickshire at Edgbaston on Saturday in a game which saw both sides top 300 with the bat.
Surrey, batting first, totalled 389-9 thanks largely to a blistering 124 off 80 balls in the middle order from England batter Danni Wyatt-Hodge. Warwickshire responded with 337-9, losing by 52 runs.
Captained by wicketkeeper-batter Kira Chathli, the daughter of former Yorkshire chair Harry, they have signed Australian fast bowler Maitlin Brown as their overseas player. She struck twice on debut against the Bears.
Yorkshire Squad
