FEATURE: George Scrimshaw wants to make mark for Northants in all formats

​New signing George Scrimshaw believes experience could be key to Northants Steelbacks reaching their first Vitality T20 Blast finals day since 2016.

​The 26-year-old pace bowler, who made his England ODI debut last summer, says he has signed on at the County Ground with his sights firmly set on excelling in white ball cricket.

And he is backing the signings of veteran all-rounders Sikandar Raza and Ravi Bopara to give the team an edge that has been lacking in recent seasons when the 2024 competition gets underway at the end of May.

Some eyebrows have been raised among supporters at the signings Bopara and Raza, players who will be 39 and 38 respectively when they make their Steelbacks debuts, but Scrimshaw believes they have the know-how to inspire the club's younger players.

With skipper David Willey recently turning 34, there is certainly plenty of experience at John Sadler's disposal, as well as proven white-ball international class, and Scrimshaw is confident they can help the Steelbacks into the knockout stages for only the second time in eight years.

"In my initial interview I said I want to get to a finals day with the County, and I believe we can do it," said Scrimshaw, who made the move from Derbyshire at the end of last season.

"I think we have two good signings in, and Sikandar Raza will be a real help.

"He is absolutely dominating all white-ball cricket at the minute, so to have somebody like him come in and bring that passion is great.

"You can see how much passion he plays with, and the fact he goes mental every time he takes a wicket!

"I feel he will really bring the dressing room in, and everybody will want to play for each other, which is how we want to play our cricket.

"Ravi Bopara also has great knowledge and has been around for ages.

"He does well in white ball cricket, and then you have David Willey, of course, who has been doing it for years and is still getting picked for the IPL, the PSL and more.

"He has still got years to go, so we have got really experienced players as well as a lot of talent from the younger group, so I think we can be challenging for the quarter-finals definitely."

Scrimshaw, something of a white ball specialist, is still settling into life as a Northants player, but he says he has been made to feel very welcome since he first turned up at the County Ground in November.

He has spent some time playing franchise cricket in both Abu Dhabi and Miami, but he has spent a lot of the winter in Northampton, and said: "I have got on really well with everyone, and we have all connected pretty quickly.

"I have really enjoyed my time so far, the schedule has been good, good training, and it has been a good time to get to know everyone which is important.

"I am pretty happy with how it has all gone."

So why did he opt to make the move to Northants?

"The club is one which will give me a similar opportunity, and I will be managed in the same sort of way as I was at Derby," said the 6ft 7in tall pace ace.

"I was really happy with how that was working, but just to have a club show real interest in me, and saying that they really want me, just gave me that motivation.

"I also want to do really well for somebody who is that interested in me, I want to build that relationship, and I will stay loyal to anyone who gives me that sort of feedback."

Scrimshaw this week represented the County for the first time as he played a four-day game for Northants IIs against Glamorgan IIs.

After recovering from a toe injury, Scrimshaw got through some crucial overs in the match at Dunstable Town CC, and there is now a chance he could be in line for a first team debut in Friday's Vitality Championship Division Two clash with Glamorgan at the County Ground.

And red ball cricket is something Scrimshaw is keen to play with Northants.

Mainly due to serious back issues in the early years of his career, Scrimshaw has so far only made eight first-class appearances despite spending seven years as professional at Worcestershire and Derbyshire.

He had to undergo back surgery to rectify his problems back in 2019, and he has successfully stayed in the game, but his main focus since then has been on the shorter white-ball formats.

But red ball cricket is something he is keen to play, and Scrimshaw says he’s looking to build up that side of his game at Northants following his winter move from Derby.

"I played four matches last year, and maybe three or four the year before," said Scrimshaw.

"So if I can build on that, and maybe play four or five matches this season then I will be pretty happy.

"It is something I want to improve on, and if I can hit that more consistent full length then I feel I can trouble quite a lot of batters with the height and bounce.

"If I can get some wickets and help the team then happy days."