Aussie Sam Whiteman excited by UK chance as he signs up for Northants stint

The Australian batsman has signed up for a five-month stint at Wantage Road in 2023, and will play four-day and One Day Cup cricket for the the County from April through to the end of August.

The 30-year-old has been playing Sheffield Shield cricket for Western Australia for the past 10 years, and has been captain of his state side for the past 18 months.

He has also played first-class cricket for Australia A, but has yet to play competitively in the nation of his birth – having been born in Doncaster in south Yorkshire before emigrating Down Under with his family when he was a young child.

Whiteman did briefly turn out for Surrey IIs as a teenager back in 2010 after impressing while playing club cricket for Weybridge, but his stint with Northants will be the first time he has had the chance to play the professional game in the UK.

"I’m really excited to have signed with Northamptonshire for the 2023 season,” said Whiteman.

“It’s always been an ambition of mine to play first-class cricket in the UK, so to get that opportunity for a large chunk of the campaign is really pleasing.

“I’m looking forward to joining up with my new team-mates in April."

Whiteman is expected to be available for Northants' Championship opener at Kent on April 6, with the Sheffield Shield Final, which his Western Australia are strong favourites to be involved in, being staged from March 22-25.

WA are currently unbeaten and top of the Shield table after six matches, with Whiteman playing as their opening batsman alongside Cameron Bancroft.

The tournament resumes on February 8 at the culmination of the Big Bash League – Whiteman is currently involved in the BBL, playing for Sydney Thunder.

Northants head coach John Sadler and the club's new red ball skipper Luke Procter are both excited by the signing of the experienced batter.

Whiteman has 10 first-class centuries and 24 half-centuries to his name, and in November scored a career-best 193 for WA against South Australia.

“Sam comes very highly recommended and is someone we’ve watched closely in recent times,” said Sadler. “I’m very confident that not only will he score plenty of runs, he’ll add value to us as a group in many ways both on and off the field.”

Procter, who himself is currently playing cricket in Melbourne in Australia, said: “I'm really looking forward to having Sam with us this season.

"He's a quality bat, but he's also got that leadership experience with WA. They're flying in the Shield so far so I'm sure he'll bring a lot value on and off the field too."

In all, Whiteman has more than 80 first-class career appearances under his belt, scoring a total of 4,625 runs at an average of 37.90. In 50-over cricket, he has hit 870 runs at 23.51 in 48 matches, scoring six half-centuries with a top score of 79.

There will be at least one familiar face at the County Ground when Whiteman does report for duty, as he was a team-mate of David Willey’s for Perth Scorchers in the BBL for four years between 2015 and 2019.