England's Topley Signs White-ball Deal With Hampshire
Zeeshan Mehtab Published February 27, 2018 | 08:33 PM
Reece Topley has become the latest England international to switch his focus from first-class cricket to the white-ball game, following in the footsteps of Adil Rashid and Alex Hales.
London, (APP - UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 27th Feb, 2018 ) :Reece Topley has become the latest England international to switch his focus from first-class cricket to the white-ball game, following in the footsteps of Adil Rashid and Alex Hales.
The fast bowler, who has played 10 one-day internationals and six Twenty20 matches for England, has penned a contract with Hampshire for the 2018 season during which he will only play limited-overs cricket.
"Hampshire Cricket can announce that seamer Reece Topley has signed a white-ball contract with the club for the 2018 season," the club said in a statement. "Topley, who joined Hampshire at the end of 2015, penned the new deal in December as part of a programme to help maximise his playing opportunities while preventing injury throughout the course of the season." The left-armer's 2017 season was ravaged by injury and he did not play after July due to a stress fracture in his back following an earlier hand problem.
"It has been a frustrating time for me as a young bowler," said the 24-year-old. "It is hoped that this proposal will assist me by preventing further injury as my body matures.
"Going forward, I do hope to return to red-ball cricket and still harbour ambitions of being the first left-arm fast bowler to take 100 Test wickets for England but that remains a long-term goal." Batsman Hales announced last week he had signed a new limited-overs contract with Nottinghamshire after England leg-spinner Rashid said he would focus solely on white-ball cricket for Yorkshire this season.
The moves are likely to strengthen fears that England's top limited-overs internationals could abandon first-class, or red-ball, cricket, which includes five-day Test matches, in favour of playing in lucrative domestic Twenty20 competitions around the world.
But England's Jos Buttler, currently on tour in New Zealand, still hopes for a return to Test cricket. "I haven't played a great deal of red-ball cricket recently. Whether that opportunity comes (depends on) performance," he was reported as saying in the Guardian newspaper.
"I think at the back-end of this year I'll be available for quite a lot of (County) Championship cricket -- so if I'm going to get back in that's when I need to score runs."
Related Topics
Recent Stories
Rock-solid Ruud racks up season-leading win in Barcelona
At UN, Iran says it will make Israel 'regret' reprisals
G7 hears calls for 'critical' Ukraine aid
EU seeks to leverage might to confront China, US challenge
5 Customs officials martyred as their vehicle ambushed by terrorists in D I Khan
Pak-New Zealand match called off due to rain
NHA restores traffic on roads affected by recent rains in Balochistan
China to fully support Pakistan's efforts against terrorism: Ambassador Jiang
U.S. envoy calls on Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar
Poland arrests man over suspected plan to kill Zelensky
EU wants to ease youth movement to and from UK
Police foils attempt of supply mainpuri raw material
More Stories From Sports
-
Pak-New Zealand match called off due to rain
19 minutes ago -
Rock-solid Ruud racks up season-leading win in Barcelona
8 hours ago -
Pak-New Zealand match called off due to rain
8 hours ago -
Former England Test batsman Raman Subba Row dies aged 92
11 hours ago -
Rybakina beats Kudermetova to reach last eight in Stuttgart
11 hours ago -
Arsenal paid for 'big mistake' in Bayern defeat: Arteta
13 hours ago
-
Matthews leads West Indies women to convincing victory over Pakistan in series opener
13 hours ago -
Former number one Momota retires from international badminton at 29
16 hours ago -
Former number one Momota retires from international badminton at 29
14 hours ago -
Former number one Momota retires from international badminton at 29
17 hours ago -
Azam experiences discomfort during Wednesday's training session
14 hours ago -
Azam Khan likely to miss T20I series against Kiwis due to discomfort in right knee
17 hours ago