Will power to succeed with home county
Will Fraine has shown signs of promise batting against the red ball and excellence against the white during his four years at Headingley having moved home from Nottinghamshire – the county where he made his senior debuts – ahead of 2019.
The imposing right-hander, now 26, captained Durham University having played Under 17s cricket for Yorkshire in 2012 and 2013 alongside Matthew Fisher, Matthew Waite, Jordan Thompson and Jared Warner.
After playing Yorkshire age-group cricket, he moved to boarding school in Worcester and represented that county’s second team.
Notts handed him a contract midway through 2018 after a string of impressive second-team performances, with him debuting in a T20 Blast clash at Lancashire. He had a Sport, Exercise and Physical Activity Uni assignment due the following day.
Fraine’s four years at Headingley have not been without challenges. A recurring dislocated knee was an issue. But, no doubt, he can shine more regularly in years to come.
A product of Huddersfield club Meltham, where he opened alongside Diamonds’ captain Hollie Armitage, he scored a superb maiden Championship century – 106 – against champions Surrey at Scarborough in 2019 whilst opening against a Morne Morkel led attack.
He demonstrated significant skill and power in the middle order finisher’s role in T20, highlighted by a 16-ball 44 in a Headingley win over Derbyshire (2020). In 2021, he walloped a blistering 19-ball 50 – Yorkshire’s fastest List A fifty – in n RL50 win over Derbyshire at Chesterfield.
