Six Durham youngsters pen rookie contracts

Stanley McAlindon, Ben McKinney, Ross Whitfield and Mitchell Killeen have signed their maiden contracts while Harry Crawshaw and Luke Doneathy have been handed one-year extensions

Six Durham youngsters have penned rookie contracts for the 2023 season.

Stanley McAlindon, Ben McKinney, Ross Whitfield and Mitchell Killeen have signed their first professional contracts while Harry Crawshaw and Luke Doneathy have received one-year extensions to the deals they were awarded for 2022.

McAlindon, a pace bowler, made nine appearances for Durham in 2022, picking up four wickets in two first-class outings and a further seven wickets in the Royal London Cup.

Killeen, son of Durham coach Neil Killeen, also made his debut in 2022, earning three appearances in the Royal London Cup.

^{Harry Crawshaw has had his rookie contract extended [Stu Forster/Getty Images]}

Doneathy and Crawshaw both made the step up to the first-team in 2021. The former has scored 188 runs (two half-centuries) and picked up eight wickets in 11 Royal London Cup outings as well as featuring twice in the T20 Blast while 19-year-old Crawshaw made three T20 appearances in 2021.

McKinney and Whitfield are yet to make their first-team bows, although both made their debuts for England Under-19s earlier in the summer. 

Director of cricket, Marcus North, said: "This group of young players have had a successful journey through our pathway and academy and thoroughly deserve their opportunity to join our professional squad.

"Throughout the 2022 season we have seen them break into our second XI, make professional first team appearances for Durham or represent the England Young Lions.

"We are extremely excited to support and nurture their development further during the next 12 months."