Aadil Ali, Harry Dearden & Sam Evans
Fri 7 Apr 2017
Leicestershire CCC are delighted to announce that three exciting, talented young players have committed their futures to the club.
Leicestershire Academy graduate Aadil Ali has agreed a two-year extension to his contract and opening batsman Harry Dearden has signed for a further year, extending their stays to at least the end of 2019 and 2018 respectively.
Fellow batsman Sam Evans, who is on Leicestershire’s Academy and scored his maiden first-class hundred in only his second match for Loughborough MCCU at Northants on Tuesday, has signed a three-year summer contract at the Fischer County Ground.
Ali, 22, has made a big impression since joining the staff at Leicestershire including some fine innings in all formats during his breakthrough season of 2015.
The left-handed Dearden was handed his first-class debut at the end of the 2016 season. The 19-year-old opened the batting against Loughborough MCCU, and has been named in the squad for today’s Specsavers County Championship game against Nottinghamshire alongside Ali.
Teenager Evans is in the first year of studying at Loughborough University and after making his first-class debut at the Fischer County Ground, posted a superb 114 at Wantage Road.
Leicestershire CCC Head Coach Pierre de Bruyn said: “It is fantastic for the club that Aadil, Harry and Sam have signed contracts before the new season gets underway. It is vital that we plan towards our future. We want to have a good balance of senior professionals and young players, and these three players have shown exactly the skills and attitude that we are looking for in our youngsters.
“Aadil is an exciting player that has come through our system and he will offer a lot to the club over all three formats. We know that Aadil has the ability to change his game for the different competitions and has a key role to play in our future.
“Harry has shown real maturity as a young batsman. It is tough at the top of the order but he has a solid, compact game, has improved over the winter, and forced his way into the team.
“For Sam to make a big score in his second first-class innings shows that he has the capability to score first-class hundreds, which is a key trait that we are looking for in all of our young batsmen. He will get a good cricketing education at Loughborough University around his studies and we are delighted that Sam has joined us.
