Ross Whiteley rejoins Derbyshire after decade away

Whiteley, who hit the winning runs when Derbyshire won the Division Two title in 2012, has agreed a two-year deal on his return

Nick Friend | 08/11/2023 at 13:47

Derbyshire have re-signed Ross Whiteley, a decade after the big-hitting lefthander departed for Worcestershire.

Whiteley, who hit the winning runs when Derbyshire won the Division Two title in 2012, has agreed a two-year deal on his return.

His arrival is the sixth of a busy, ambitious winter, led by head of cricket Mickey Arthur, who described Whiteley's return as part of a plan based around "bringing a winning mentality to Derbyshire".

Whiteley has won the T20 Blast twice in the last five years – with Worcestershire in 2018 and Hampshire last season – and he has won The Hundred twice, most recently with Oval Invincibles in 2023.

"He's a player who is used to competing for trophies, he knows what it takes to compete in Division Two and to win white-ball honours," said Arthur.

"Ross is the kind of player you want in those pressure moments, he's capable of holding his nerve and changing the game, he will give us another bowling option and will bring us a lot in terms of fielding."

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^{Whiteley hit the title-winning runs for Derbyshire in 2012, alongside Usman Khawaja (Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)}

Whiteley, whose departure was agreed with a year still on his Hampshire contract, follows Mohammad Amir, Pat Brown, David Lloyd, Samit Patel and former Hampshire teammate Aneurin Donald in moving to Derby this winter.

Whiteley said: "Derbyshire is where I started my career and I'm excited to have the opportunity to come back at this stage in my career, with everything Mickey is trying to achieve with the club.

"Having played a part in the last trophy Derbyshire won, I know how much it means to the fans here, so hopefully with the experience I've gained over the years I can help play a part in pushing for more silverware over the next few years for this great club.

"Having left Derbyshire in my early twenties, I feel I have unfinished business here and I want to bring success back to the county."