Hampshire cricket: Colin de Grandhomme to represent Hampshire in T20 Blast

Colin de Grandhomme: The all-rounder from New Zealand is all set for his second stint in the T20 Blast later this year.

New Zealand all-rounder Colin de Grandhomme will represent Hampshire in the upcoming season of the Vitality T20 Blast. Highly likely to make a comeback into the national side for the ICC World Test Championship final next month, the development will increase de Grandhomme’s stay in England.

de Grandhomme will play in the second half of the T20 Blast after the completion of Test championship final. Having missed New Zealand’s international summer season due to an ankle injury, the stint might also pave way for de Grandhomme’s comeback into the national white-ball squad.

Hampshire, who have struggled to a large extent in the last few years, would be hoping for this international signing to turn the tables for them this year. In addition to his hard-hitting skills down the order, de Grandhomme will also enjoy bowling his medium-pace in the English conditions.

Colin de Grandhomme to represent Hampshire in T20 Blast

Hampshire, who will play the season opener against Kent on June 9, would have played six matches before their clash against Somerset on June 25 – a date when de Grandhomme is expected to play his first match of this season.

If the same happens, the 34-year old player will have eight matches to create an impact at Hampshire. In his previous T20 Blast stint for Birmingham Bears, de Grandhomme had scored 576 runs in 26 innings at an average and strike rate of 30.32 and 170.41 respectively.

Not as successful with the ball as with the bat, de Grandhomme had dismissed 10 batsmen across two seasons at an average of 58.70, an economy rate of 10.27 and a strike rate of 34.30.