Kiwi up and comer en-route to Headingley
In Will O’Rourke, Yorkshire have signed one of the rising stars of world cricket.
The New Zealand fast bowler will, like his fellow overseas Will – Sutherland, represent the county in a mid-season spell of Vitality Blast cricket, providing the county’s seam attack with genuine pace and skill.
Surrey-born O’Rourke’s parents emigrated to New Zealand when he was five.
He is a tall quick with a smooth action and has played his domestic cricket for Canterbury, though his father Patrick and uncle Matthew played elsewhere for Wellington and Auckland respectively.
Will came up through the Auckland age-groups with his family having originally settled in the city, but he moved to the South Island for University and has remained with Canterbury ever since.
While O’Rourke, 23, has captured the attention following his recent exploits in Test Match cricket – 36 wickets in 10 appearances – he debuted for the Kiwis in white ball cricket first.
He debuted in ODI cricket in December 2023 and T20I cricket in April of last year. Sandwiched in between, he made his Test bow against South Africa at Hamilton, claiming nine wickets in the match and earning the Player-of-the-Match award.
He subsequently claimed eight wickets in the match in a Galle Test against Sri Lanka and seven against India at Bangalore, demonstrating an ability to achieve success in a variety of conditions.
At six foot and four inches, O’Rourke has 36 wickets from 36 career T20 appearances to his name with a best of 4-23.
He has taken the new ball in T20 cricket for his country, and has four wickets in three appearances. But, more recently, he has bowled his overs through the middle for Canterbury in the New Zealand Super Smash competition.
He dismissed Harry Brook and Joe Root twice during December’s Test series in New Zealand, which England won.
He played for the Kiwis at February’s 50-over Champions Trophy event in Pakistan.
O’Rourke will be hoping to make it third time lucky when it comes to domestic T20 success having been part of two Super Smash final defeats with Canterbury, including one this February.
He took advice from former Yorkshire County Championship winner Kane Williamson before signing this deal and will hope to have a similar impact to the one which Lockie Ferguson had in T20 cricket at Headingley in 2021.
A Roses hat-trick certainly wouldn’t go amiss!
UPDATED: Feb 2025.
