Yorkshire are closing in on the signings of New Zealand bowler Neil Wagner and Namibia all-rounder David Wiese as overseas players for 2023… as Darren Gough looks to bounce back after relegation from Championship
- Yorkshire are closing in on a double signing after their September relegation
- Their close to signing international duo Neil Wagner and David Wiese
- Darren Gough is looking to reverse their on-field fortunes after getting demoted
Yorkshire are understood to be closing in on experienced internationals Neil Wagner and David Wiese as overseas players for 2023.
The pair were born and raised in South Africa but play for New Zealand and Namibia respectively and are on Yorkshire’s newly-appointed managing director of cricket Darren Gough’s wish-list as English cricket’s most decorated club attempt to reverse on-field fortunes that saw them suffer last-gasp relegation from the County Championship in September.
Wagner, 36, has an outstanding Test record with the Black Caps, sitting fifth in their all-time wicket-takers’ list, having claimed 246 victims at under 27 runs apiece.
Experienced New Zealand bowler Neil Wagner is close to signing for Yorkshire
Namibia’s David Wiese is also close to joining as an overseas player following their relegation
Yorkshire do not possess a left-armer now that David Willey has returned to Northamptonshire and Wagner’s follow-through would create ideal rough for off-spinner Dom Bess to bowl into.
While his signing would be as a second overseas recruit for four-day cricket – Pakistan batter Shan Masood, the club captain, takes the other slot – Wiese, who played for the Headingley-based Northern Superchargers in last summer’s Hundred competition, would be a Vitality Blast-specific addition as a finisher with the bat and seam-up option with the ball.
He recently featured for the Namibian team that shocked Sri Lanka at the World Cup.
Yorkshire qualified for Twenty20 finals day in Ottis Gibson’s first season as head coach despite a raft of players coming and going due to international commitments and one of the 37-year-old Wiese’s attractions is the continuity of selection his recruitment would offer across all 14 group games.
Both players are well versed in the English domestic scene too: Wagner won the Championship with Essex in 2017 and previously played for Northants and Lancashire while Wiese spent six years at Sussex.
Darren Gough is hoping the two signings will help inspire the club to bounce back
***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk