Durham sign Cameron Bancroft for 2019 county season
Durham have announced the signing of Australia batsman Cameron Bancroft for the 2019 county cricket season.
The opener is currently serving a nine-month suspension from all international and Australia domestic cricket for his role in the ball-tampering controversy at Newlands during the Australia-South Africa series earlier this year.
Cameron Bancroft played an active part in the ball-tampering scandal
The 25-year-old, who has played eight Test matches to date, will sign as the club’s overseas player and will be available for all formats, subject to international selection.
Bancroft said: “I am excited to join Durham for the 2019 county season. Having played at Emirates Riverside in 2017 I know what a great place it is to play cricket.
Cameron Bancroft celebrates after Australia regain the Ashes in 2017/18
“With the Ashes and ODI World Cup both being played in the UK in 2019 it will be a huge summer of cricket. I am grateful for the opportunity and I can’t wait to get over and make an impact with Durham.”
Durham head coach Jon Lewis said: “Cameron provides us with a very talented overseas signing who can bulk up our batting line-up and help us compete for silverware.
Cameron Bancroft celebrate a double-hundred in the Sheffield Shield
“Tom Latham has done a great job for us over the past two seasons but we anticipate Tom being unavailable due to the World Cup in 2019, therefore we were delighted to be able to bring Cameron in.
“Cameron is a talented top-order batsman and a great talent across all formats – he has the appetite and temperament for scoring big runs.”
Bancroft scored 82 in Australia’s second innings in the first Ashes Test in 2017/18 and averages 38.35 in first-class cricket, with a highest score of 228 not out.
