Young batsman Sam Hain has signed a contract extension to play all formats for Warwickshire County Cricket Club and Birmingham Bears until at least the end of the 2021 domestic season.
The 22-year-old, who flies out to the Caribbean today to join the England Lions squad ahead of the one-day series with West Indies A, has been with the Bears since the 2013 season and has contributed 3,965 runs across all formats to date.
He’s enjoyed a lot of success in white ball cricket over the last two seasons. However, he now needs to take this into Championship cricket and build on the seven centuries that he scored in the early part of his career.
Ashley Giles
During this time, Hain has scored seven First Class and four List A centuries, but he also played a leading role in the team’s Royal London One-Day Cup win in 2016 in addition to being the top scorer in last year’s NatWest T20 Blast final with 72 runs.
Ashley Giles, Sport Director at Warwickshire CCC, said: “Sam is a tremendously talented batsman and one of the most exciting young prospects in the county game, who has demonstrated that he can play big innings in the most pressurised situations.
“He’s enjoyed a lot of success in white ball cricket over the last two seasons, helping the team win the One-Day Cup at Lord’s and coming so close to getting us home in last season’s Blast final. However, he now needs to take this into Championship cricket and build on the seven centuries that he scored in the early part of his career.
“Despite a difficult season last year, he has shown good character and worked hard over the winter months. We’re thrilled that he will continue to be a Bear as we rebuild a squad to challenge across all formats.”
It’s a very exciting time to be a Bear and I’m looking forward to returning in April and challenging for a place in the Championship team.
Sam Hain
Hain will stay in the Caribbean to play in the ECB North-South Series, for a second successive year, following the Lions’ three-match one-day series. He has also been selected by the MCC for the annual Champions County match, which takes places at the Kensington Oval in Barbados between 27 and 30 March, before returning to Edgbaston ahead of Warwickshire’s first Specsavers County Championship match against Sussex on 13 April.
Commenting on his contract extension, Hain said: “I absolutely love playing for the Bears and it’s great to have secured my long-term future with the club ahead of the tour with England Lions and a big domestic season.
“Admittedly we had a tough time in Championship and one-day cup last year, but we made great strides in the Blast and the management have been very busy rebuilding the squad, so that we can challenge hard for promotion.
“It’s a very exciting time to be a Bear and I’m looking forward to returning in April and challenging for a place in the Championship team.”
