Jack White signs Northamptonshire extension after injury-hit 2019

The 27-year-old seamer is yet to make his professional debut but has been compared to Richard Gleeson and Ben Sanderson by coach David Ripley

Northamptonshire have signed seamer Jack White to a fresh one-year contract.

The 27-year-old right-armer emerged from the Minor Counties system to join the club's setup in 2018, however a string of injuries earlier this season restricted him to just seven 2nd XI outings on his maiden summer deal.

Kendal-born White attracted the county's attention with 59 wickets across 31 outings for Parramatta District in New South Wales grade cricket in 2017-18, teaming up with Australia seamer Sean Abbott to deliver the side their first Premier title in 53 years.

"Last year was very very frustrating, it was the worst," White said. "The whole time I was just thinking I'll get there, I'll get there eventually.

"I'm back fully fit now and hoping to head to New Zealand for a month or two to bowl and keep ticking along with overs.

"I've always been stronger in white-ball cricket, but that's in Australia where the ball doesn't move as much. Obviously, it's a bit different over here – ideally I'd like to play all three formats."

"I'm not going to get carried away though, just work real hard and see what happens at the start of next year."

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Northamptonshire head coach David Ripley has high hopes for the bowler, who closed last season with a haul of 3-for-8 against Nottinghamshire's 2nd XI after returning from a neck injury.

Ripley has previously compared White to his former Cumberland teammate Richard Gleeson, who has gone on to collect over 200 professional wickets and earn England Lions honours since debuting for the county aged 27 in the summer of 2015.

"Jack had some injury issues last year but when we saw him fit and firing, he’s a very fine seam bowling prospect," Ripley commented.

"He's a little bit similar to Ben Sanderson in many ways – very skilful and hits the seam, he's a very English-style seam bowler. He's arrived with us through a different route and he reminds me a bit of Jack Brooks.

"What was noticeable is when we played Australia A and Jack was around, [their players] had a lot of time for him and respect for what they'd seen of him. I thought that was a really good sign and very interesting as he was still a little unknown to us."

"He's an older cricketer in terms of someone having their first stab at professional cricket. He's not your archetypal lad off the academy or young prospect, but his age is almost irrelevant because the miles on the clock are low.

"We're very excited and I'm sure he's not going to let anybody down."

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