Riverside return for Aussie ace Bancroft
AUSTRALIA batsman Cameron Bancroft has agreed to return to Durham for the 2021 season.
A former Riverside captain, Bancroft played for the club during the 2019 season in both the County Championship and One-Day Cup.
A call-up for the Australian Ashes squad ended his stint in the North East early, with the 28-year-old leaving Durham fans wanting more.
Bancroft had agreed to rejoin the club for the 2020 season but, after the coronavirus pandemic gripped the world, opted to stay in his homeland.
But he has once again signed up for a season at the Riverside and will join the club in May after the conclusion of the Australian domestic summer.
Durham’s director of cricket Marcus North said: “We are really pleased to welcome Cameron back to Emirates Riverside this summer.
“He had a positive influence on and off the field during his time with us in 2019.
“Cameron is currently having a fantastic summer down under for Western Australia and we look forward to him having a big impact for Durham when he re-joins the squad in May.”
The batsman was a key player for Durham during his first stint with the club, scoring 726 runs in nine County Championship matches, averaging 45.37.
He also racked up 377 runs in the One-Day Cup, including a superb unbeaten knock of 151 in a win over Northamptonshire. He averaged a stunning 94.25 in the competition.
Having originally joined the club looking to rebuild his career in the wake of Australia’s ball-tampering scandal, Bancroft – who has previously played in England with Gloucestershire – made a mark off the field as well as on it.
The Western Australian cricketer also gave his time to support the Durham Cricket Foundation and worked on a number of community projects.