Yorkshire all-rounder David Willey has today been confirmed as the Club’s T20 captain ahead of this summer’s Vitality Blast competition.
Willey was officially appointed at the end of last week following a formal close season process and his first game in charge is likely to be out in Mumbai with the Club set to embark on a fortnight long pre-season tour next month.
The Northampton-born 29-year-old made his debut for the White Rose against Nottinghamshire in May 2016. He signed a new three-year deal last summer and is expected to play a key role in the Club’s search for a first limited overs trophy since 2002.
Willey, capped 74 times by England in One-Day and T20 cricket, told Yorkshireccc.com: “It’s a great honour. To be a captain at any club, let alone the biggest in the country, is a great honour. Hopefully this is the first step and we can have a successful year in 2020.
“I put my name forward in my appraisal last year. Over the past four or five years I’ve been in and out with Yorkshire due to England commitments, but having been left out of the World Cup my pathway for this summer has become very clear, which is really exciting. I’m very much looking forward to getting my teeth back in to County Cricket and all formats. Part of that will be drawing on my experience in T20 cricket and wanting to lead the team as well as I possibly can.
“The reason I came in four or five years ago now was to try and improve that area at Yorkshire. We’ve got a phenomenal record in red-ball cricket, but for a club of this size, to not have silverware in white-ball cricket is very disappointing. I’ve played T20 cricket all around the world, a World Cup, IPL, Big Bash, I’ve been in Finals Day four times myself, so hopefully I can draw on all of that experience and bring that to the table. We’ve got a brilliant group of players and my job will be to sit in the background and let the lads go about their business and we hope to go a long way.”
