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David Willey to captain the Northamptonshire County Cricket Club (NCCC) Steelbacks in this year's Vitality Blast, following his return to the club.
Willey made his Steelbacks T20 debut in 2009 with 83 appearances for Northamptonshire in the shortest format. In 2013 he was instrumental in securing the Club's first T20 title and announced his return to the county on a four-year deal last summer. Willey has been given the Captain's armband by head coach John Sadler after his early return from the IPL confirmed his full availability for the upcoming campaign. "This opportunity only really presented itself when we heard about him coming back a bit earlier from the IPL. He'll now be fully present for the buildup into the T20 and the full campaign as well. As a Club we need to maximise all of his expertise. He's played in all the tournaments around the world, he's playing international cricket, he's played with the best players and coaches and now he's bringing that into our dressing room," John Sadler said in an official statement released by NCCC. After seven years away from Northamptonshire, Willey was looking forward to representing his home club again. "Northamptonshire is a special place for me, I grew up here, my dad played here, it's great to be back. My experience and what I've done over the last seven years, hopefully, I can add value to everyone in the dressing room and the club as a whole. I'm keen to give something back to a club and community that's given me so much over the years," Willey said. "I'm really looking forward to playing back in front of a home crowd at Wantage Road. The support and atmosphere here has always been exceptional over the years so I'm really excited to be back out there as a Steelback," he added. The Steelbacks 2023 campaign gets underway at home against Worcestershire on May 24. Sadler commended Cobb for his work as Skipper in recent seasons and believed he'd remain a key presence on and off the field. "Josh has led the side well in recent years, he's got a good cricket brain and is tactically astute. I've got full respect for Cobby, he's a crucial part of this side and when he's firing he's one of the best around," Sadler added. (ANI)
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