Durham have announced overseas signing Cameron Bancroft will take control of the county in their County Championship and 50-over endeavours.
The Australian, who completed a nine-month suspension for his part in the ball-tampering scandal which rocked the country’s cricket last year recently, will succeed club stalwart Paul Collingwood after his retirement.
Durham Cricket lead high performance coach, James Franklin, told the club’s official website: “We’re delighted to have Cameron with us for the season and we’re confident he has the attributes to lead this exciting young Durham dressing room.
“He has invaluable experience at the top level and has enjoyed a successful spell in England before, during his time with Gloucestershire.
“He’s proven since returning to first-class cricket over the last few months that he has the mental toughness, skill and attitude to excel at the highest level and I’m sure he will relish the challenge we have at Durham this season.”
The decision to appoint Bancroft casts shadows over Durham’s rebrand prior to the 2019 county season to those who consider ball-tampering to be one of the sport’s most underhanded acts.
The club created a new logo and launched themselves as Durham Cricket to push through ‘a new era’ for cricket in the north-east.
Bancroft will not be available for the club’s first match of the season againsst Derbyshire, meaning Alex Lees will stand in.
