Lancashire have signed New Zealand pair Daryl Mitchell and Colin de Grandhomme on contracts that will cover the the Vitality T20 Blast and the start of the LV= Insurance County Championship.
In a sign of the changing landscape for overseas players in the county game, Mitchell and de Grandhomme will join the squad alongside Dane Vilas, the club’s long-serving South African batter, who stood down last week as club captain but will continue to play for Lancashire this season.
With only two overseas players permitted in the XI, Mark Chilton, Lancashire’s director of cricket performance, said having the trio available would “provide us with plenty of options for different matches and scenarios”.
De Grandhomme, who has previously represented Hampshire, Surrey and Birmingham Bears, will link up with the club for the start of the summer, potentially playing in four Championship matches before the arrival of Mitchell ahead of the Somerset game on May 11. Both allrounders will be involved in the Blast, with Mitchell available for Championship fixtures against Hampshire, Surrey and Essex and de Grandhomme also providing cover during June and July.
“We are really excited to add both Daryl and Colin to our squad and to be able to do so for such a large portion of the 2023 season – which was a key factor for us when looking to make overseas additions this year,” Chilton said.
“The schedule, as it has been for the last few years, continues to be really challenging particularly in the middle part of the summer throughout May, June and July, due to the amount of cricket we’re playing in a short period. With that in mind, we want to ensure we’ve got enough strength in depth to cover for all eventualities and Daryl and Colin provide us with exactly that.
“It has been a tricky process to try and add the right overseas players to our squad – in terms of both availability and quality – but I think we have found the perfect fit with two experienced international cricketers, who will bring quality to our changing room.
“Colin will be with us from the very start against Surrey in the County Championship before Daryl joins up in mid-May, the pair will then both be available throughout our Vitality Blast campaign and, alongside Dane Vilas, provide us with plenty of options for different matches and scenarios.”
Mitchell, who played for Middlesex in 2021 and was Blackpool CC’s professional in 2016, was New Zealand’s Player of the Series during last summer’s tour of England, when he scored 538 runs at 107.60. “I am delighted to be joining Lancashire this English summer,” he said. Coming is something special.
“Having tasted Vitality Blast and County his championship in Middlesex in 2021, I am really looking forward to contributing to Lancashire in both competitions this summer. Chance is an exciting player.
“I really enjoy playing in the UK environment and experiencing the special history of the game across the country. I have very fond memories of my two England tours with New Zealand and I hope to achieve more in Lancashire. It’s also great to be working with my old team-mates Stephen Croft and Richard Gleason, who played for Blackpool in the summer of 2016. ”
De Granddhomme added:
“I am really looking forward to the opportunity to play for Lancashire this season.
“Lancashire have an exciting team that have been close to silver in recent years, so I hope we can bring the experience into the dressing room and take another step forward this season.
“Emirates Old Trafford is a world-class venue and I have played in New Zealand colors before.