England have an eye on Yorkshire’s newest pro
New rookie professional Matthew Firbank is a tall fast bowler who is both highly-rated by Yorkshire and England.
A product of the Yorkshire system – he has come up through the age-groups and the Academy – he has been playing for the county’s second team for the last couple of seasons.
He has played his league cricket at both the Pannal and Clifton Alliance clubs.
In July 2025, he played for the England Under 19s in an ODI victory over India at Worcester, striking with the new ball to get the visiting side’s captain Ayush Mhatre. He also took three wickets against the same opponents in a warm-up for an England Young Lions XI.
Firbank’s first recorded appearance for Yorkshire came in the Under 14s, and he has also played for Scarborough College.
In 2023, he claimed a best of 6-46 having taken the new ball for Clifton Alliance in a YPL North defeat against Stamford Bridge and played in the early stages of the club’s title-winning campaign at the start of last year before injury.
“He’s an out-and-out seamer, he bowls at pace, he stands the seam up, he looks to challenge right-hand and left-hand and constantly challenges stumps,” said James Martin, Yorkshire’s head of the performance pathway.
“He’s a very exciting young cricketer who offers something in all formats – T20, 50-overs and red-ball cricket.
Shortly after signing rookie professional terms at Headingley last August, Firbank made his first-team debut in a Metro Bank One-Day Cup win over Kent at Canterbury, taking the winning wicket.
Unfortunately, a subsequent back injury, something which he has dealt with in the past, ruled him out of England Under 19s action through the winter. But he hopes to make a big impact in the 2026 summer.
JANUARY 2026.
