Durham Acquires RCB Seamer to Strengthen T20 Blast Bowling Arsenal


image-li4qe7juParnell has a wealth of experience in T20 cricket (AP Photo)

Durham has secured the services of South African cricketer Wayne Parnell for the ongoing T20 Blast 2023. The addition of the Proteas white-ball specialist aims to address the void in their fast bowling lineup. With Matthew Potts selected for England's Test squad against Ireland and several injuries affecting Durham, the club has chosen to strengthen its bowling attack.

Expressing his enthusiasm, Parnell expressed his delight in joining the county club and mentioned his familiarity with English conditions. He aims to leverage his experience to contribute towards the team's success in winning matches.

"I’m delighted to have this opportunity to play for Durham. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my previous spells in England, and everyone speaks well of Durham," Wayne Parnell was quoted as saying by Durham’s official website.

On the other hand, Durham’s Director of Cricket, Marcus North, added that Parnell’s international experience will come in handy for the team in the competition. He also added that the South African international has the experience of leading a team and, thus, can guide the youngsters of Durham.

“Wayne is an experienced international-level T20 bowler with a proven track record of delivering performances in franchise cricket. His experience of playing for and captaining T20 teams around the world will be valuable to us this season. He bowls left-arm pace and can provide runs down the order with the bat. He has played a lot of white ball cricket in England and he comes straight to Durham on the back of a good stint in the IPL so he is ready to play when he arrives this weekend," said Marcus North.

In the recent IPL 2023, Parnell represented Royal Challengers Bangalore and made a significant impact by taking nine wickets in seven matches. Despite his contributions, the team fell short of qualifying for the playoffs. 

Parnell is familiar with the T20 Blast, having accumulated 51 wickets in 49 games while playing for various teams like Kent, Sussex, Glamorgan, Northamptonshire, and Worcestershire. He emerged victorious in the competition with Worcestershire in 2018.