Sam Whiteman joins Northamptonshire for majority of 2023 season

The Australia batter will be considered an overseas player despite holding a UK passport, having been born in Doncaster. He joins for the County Championship and Royal London Cup until the end of August

Northamptonshire have added Sam Whiteman to their squad for most of the upcoming 2023 season.

The 30-year-old wicketkeeper-batter is available in the County Championship and Royal London Cup until the end of August.

Whiteman will occupy an overseas player berth despite having a UK passport, which he holds having been born in Doncaster.

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

^{Whiteman is currently playing for Sydney Thunder in the BBL (Jeremy Ng/Getty Images)}

"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 teammates in April."

Despite having no previous senior county cricket experience, he played four times for the Surrey second XI in 2010.

That summer he turned out for Weybridge in the Surrey Premier League and in 2018 returned to England for a stint with Cuckfield in the Sussex Premier League.

^{Whiteman will be eager to add to his 10 first-class centuries (Will Russell/Getty Images)}

In a first-class career largely playing for Western Australia, Whiteman has scored 4,625 runs at 37.90, with 10 centuries and 24 fifties.

Also signed up for the 50-over competition, his List A record is more modest with 870 runs at 23.51.

The left-hander is currently playing in the Big Bash League for Sydney Thunder.

Head coach John Sadler added: "Sam comes very highly recommended and is someone we’ve watched closely in recent times.

"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."

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