Northants tie down batter Justin Broad after impressive second team form

The 22-year-old signs the club as a home player, having represented Germany in international cricket, and has put pen to paper on a contract that will see him stay at the County Ground until the end of 2024.

Born in Cape Town, Broad played for Western Province as a teenager before moving to England in 2019, where he played club cricket for Bury St Edmunds in the East Anglian Premier League.

The right-hand batter was then picked up to play for the MCC Young Cricketers before joining Esher CC in 2021 to play in the Surrey Championship.

While there, he played second team cricket for Surrey.

Broad made his debut for the Germany national team in T20 cricket in February, 2022, and has gone on to make nine T20 International appearances.

Broad has been with Northants since the start of this season, and has scored eight half centuries in 15 innings across all formats, including 98 against the Netherlands in a rain-affected 35-over fixture in May.

He scored a half-century in each innings this week as the seconds completed a comprehensive Second XI Championship win over Gloucestershire IIs by 285 runs at Rockhampton.

“I’m so grateful to Northamptonshire for giving me an opportunity to play county cricket,” said Broad.

“It hasn’t been an easy passage for me, but I’m so happy and cannot wait to begin my professional career with the club.

"It’s been a dream of mine and I’m so happy that I’ve achieved that goal.”

Second team coach Graeme White was full of praise for the youngster, and said: “Broady has been brilliant this year, he’s worked really hard and scored runs in each format.

“He’s a three dimensional player but more than that, his personality and character has been first class with the group, he's been selfless and it shows the class of the man.

"He's going to be all in for the team and I know he’s looking to contribute as much as he can.”

Northants head coach John Sadler said: "We’ve been really impressed with Justin this year, both his on-field performances in the second team but his attitude has been superb as well.

"He fully deserves this opportunity and I’m looking forward to seeing him take that next step.”