English County Side Yorkshire has named Australian middle-order rookie Peter Handscomb as their new overseas cricketer for the County Championship cricket scheduled in 2017.
The Yorkshire coach Andrew Gale has stated that the 25-year-old Handscomb is best in business to fill the number three spot for the Yorkshire side.
“Peter is someone that we have had our eye on for a while. We looked at him as an option for last season, but the schedules didn’t quite work out,” Gale revealed.
The Victorian broke into the national side after proving himself in the four Sheffield Shield games while scoring 410 runs which also included his career best of 215 against the domestic side New South Wales.
“We are getting a guy who is on the up. He is young and wants to prove himself on the biggest stage. That will be good for us in county cricket. Number three is where he might slot into in county cricket, but that is yet to be decided,” Gale added.
Handscomb, who was also a talented tennis player is going from strength-to-strength after scoring 54, 105, 35 and 54 against South and Pakistan respectively during his early Test career.
“He gives us another option with the gloves as well as he keeps wicket in the shorter forms for Victoria. The good thing is that he is a good player in all formats, which suits us well given that he will be available for most of the season.”
Handscomb, who also holds a British passport, has closely worked under the tutelage of his head coach Darren Lehmann.
Despite a healthy limited overs record in domestic cricket, Yorkshire does not expect the right-hander to be selected by the Australians for next summer’s Champions Trophy in England.
In August and September 2017, Australia is scheduled to play two home Test against Bangladesh.
“We are delighted to secure Peter’s signature for the 2017 season. Peter is a player that we have been aware of for a couple of years now, and he has made an excellent start to his Test career, Yorkshire’s Director of Cricket Martyn Moxon said.
Handscomb, who has shown some maturity, is expected to join the Melbourne Stars in the ongoing Big Bash T20 League after the final Test at Sydney against Pakistan.
“We look forward to welcoming him to Headingley, and hope that he enjoys playing his cricket for Yorkshire next year,” he added
In 2011, the right-handed batsman debuted in List A and first-class cricket followed by Twenty20 cricket in 2012 after playing for Leicestershire’s second XI.
In his three Test appearances for Australia, Handscomb has scored 249 runs at the staggering average of 83 which includes 1 hundred and 2 half-centuries.