Northamptonshire sign Simon Kerrigan on two-year deal

The left-armer, who spent much of his career at Lancashire and made a solitary Test appearance in the 2013 Ashes, will remain at Wantage Road until the end of the 2022 season

Northamptonshire have signed former England spinner Simon Kerrigan on a two-year deal.

The left-armer, who spent much of his career at Lancashire and made a solitary Test appearance in the 2013 Ashes, will remain at Wantage Road until the end of the 2022 season.

Further to his international cap - a wicketless, difficult debut against Australia, he has played 104 first-class matches, claiming 322 wickets in the process. His last first-class game came in September 2017 for Northants, where he played four games on loan.

He was released by Lancashire at the end of the 2018 season, at which point he halted his playing career to concentrate on coaching as he struggled for form. However, after a brief spell playing mainly as a batsman in club cricket, he took more than 60 wickets at an average of just 8.48 in the Northern Premier League in 2019 as some of his old form began to return.

“I’m delighted to have signed, I’ve worked hard over the winter and went on pre-season tour to Singapore with the club and felt in a good place pre-Covid to push for a contract,” Kerrigan said.

“I’m really happy that the club have put their faith in me and offered me a contract for next year.

“It’s an exciting time for the club with Sads (John Sadler) and Lids (Chris Liddle) coming in on the coaching staff along with being in Div 1 next year. I hope I can contribute a few five-fers to the cause and be part of some successful campaigns for Northamptonshire.”

Red-ball captain Adam Rossington added: “He’s an international quality spin option and being a left-armer it’s really nice to have that variety to turn to as a captain. He’s got years of experience at the top level, and he’s a great bloke too, so I can’t wait to have him as part of the dressing room.”

Head coach David Ripley explained: “Since Graeme White retired from that side of the game we’ve been short of red ball spin, the other spinners on our staff apart from Rob Keogh are very much geared up for white ball cricket so it’s great to have Keogh and Kerrigan as a pair of red ball spinners for Division One.

“Simon and I have kept in touch pretty much since he came on loan in 2017 and he’s bowled regularly with the squad too. I think where he is now is a really exciting place, he’s a bit more content in himself and his bowling is in a great place technically.

“I’m really excited, I’m pleased for him because he’s a cracking lad, a bit of a cricket badger and I’m really pleased we’ve given him an opportunity and I’ve just got that feeling it’s going to be a good story.”

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