Wainwright Signs Derbyshire Deal

Wainwright Signs Derbyshire Deal

David Wainwright has signed for Derbyshire.

David Wainwright has joined Derbyshire on a two-year contract after activating a release clause in his Yorkshire contract earlier this month. He was originally meant to join Derbyshire on loan during the 2011 season but was recalled by Yorkshire before he could make his Falcons debut.

The 26 year-old left-arm spinner took 25 wickets for the White Rose county – by whom he was capped in 2010 – in all forms of cricket last year, but was unable to establish himself as a regular member of their first eleven due to the emergence of Azeem Rafiq.

Overall, the Pontefract-born player’s first-class record is impressive and he has taken 82 wickets at an average of 36.62 throughout his career as well as scoring 1071 runs at 34.54 despite batting in the lower-order for Yorkshire. His List A record is even more impressive and he has an economy rate of less than five runs per over.

Wainwright’s signing will fill a hole in Derbyshire’s squad that was covered in 2011 by the early-season loan signing of Azeem Rafiq, and will allow young left-arm spinner Tom Knight time to develop without the burden of being the club’s sole spinner.

Head coach Karl Krikken said of the news, “We are delighted with the opportunity to sign a player of David’s quality and experience. First team opportunities have sometimes been limited for him at Yorkshire, but the move to Derbyshire will increase his chances of playing more regular cricket and I expect David to become an important player for us in all forms of the game.”

Wainwright is the latest in a long line of close-season squad strengthening that Derbyshire have undertaken since the announcement of their new cricketing strategy, as they hope to turn themselves into Championship promotion challengers for 2012.

© Cricket World 2011