The uncapped New Zealand player Nathan Smith joins Worcestershire for the County and will be available for the entirety of the summer.
Worcestershire signs Nathan Smith
Worcestershire has signed the 25-year-old New Zealand all-rounder Nathan Smith for the upcoming 2024 season. The seamer has yet to make his international debut but has played in several domestic leagues.
Worcestershire will be featuring in the T20 Blast 2024 starting on May 2024. Worcestershire was knocked out of the T20 Blast 2023 in the quarter-final match against Hampshire.
Somerset won the finals of the T20 Blast 2023 after defeating Essex by 14 runs.
He featured for Otago Volts and Wellington Firebirds, claiming 105 first-class wickets with an average of 27.65 and amassed 1620 runs at 26.55. He dismissed 52 wickets with an average of 21.59 and a strike rate of 122.
“I’m absolutely thrilled to be joining Worcestershire for the 2024 season,” Smith said. “The club’s rich history and commitment to developing talent make it an ideal environment for me to grow as a cricketer.
“I’ve heard a lot of good things about the club from other Kiwis who have played at New Road recently, and I can’t wait to join up with the rest of the squad and hit the ground running.”
Worcestershire’s head coach Alan Richardson said, ” Nathan is a great character, and is a fantastic addition to our squad.
“We have been monitoring him for some time, and his pace and ability to swing the ball will provide us with a significant boost in our bowling department.
“He’s a genuine wicket-taker, can also contribute valuable runs down the order, and is an outstanding fielder, making him a real all-round threat. We believe he’ll be a key player in our pursuit of success this season.”
Smith will provide useful batting in the low order which was a feature of Worcestershire’s success in the 2023 season, with Matthew Waite and Joe Leach in particular handy options.
He will be impressive in the domestic circuit these days on all-format and signed up for the County Championship, T20 Blast, and One-Day Cup. He will be joining the Pakistan Usama Mir in the overseas ranks, with Mir rejoining for the Blast after success in 2023.
