He has initially signed a one-year, T20-only contract and can rejoice his thirty ninth birthday just a few weeks earlier than Northants begin their Blast season on Might 30 towards Derbyshire, who can be captained by their very own new signing in Patel. “I am actually comfortable to have joined Northamptonshire for the T20s this 12 months,” Bopara mentioned in a press launch.
Bopara captained Sussex within the Blast final 12 months. He had a productive season – he scored 408 runs with a strike price of 146.23 and chipped in with eight wickets – however Sussex missed out on the quarter-finals and he was not provided a brand new contract, a choice he described as “very disappointing”.
He spent the winter taking part in abroad for Delhi Bulls (Abu Dhabi T10) and Abu Dhabi Knight Riders (ILT20) and has not too long ago completed a stint as assistant coach at Karachi Kings. “I felt nice within the Blast final 12 months and my sport is in a extremely good place in the intervening time,” he mentioned. “I am wanting ahead to becoming a member of the Steelbacks and placing on a present for the followers at Wantage Street.”
Northants gained the Blast in 2013 and 2016 however have solely reached the quarter-finals as soon as within the final seven seasons. They’ve introduced in George Bartlett (Somerset) and George Scrimshaw (Derbyshire) over the winter, with Zimbabwe’s Sikandar Raza signing for the Blast, whereas Tom Taylor and Josh Cobb have each left for Worcestershire.
“Now we have a extremely thrilling squad: there’s quite a lot of high quality in that listing and I am hoping to play a giant half in bringing a 3rd Blast trophy to the membership,” Bopara mentioned. “I am nonetheless studying an awesome deal about this sport at my age. I’ve a burning need and starvation to up-skill my sport to new heights and I nonetheless really feel like a younger man within the sport. There’s a lot extra for me to attain within the T20 area.”
John Sadler, Northants’ head coach, mentioned: “Ravi is an outstanding signing for us and we’re delighted to get it over the road. He is been an unimaginable performer throughout all codecs for a few years and brings an enormous presence on and off the sector.”
