Yorkshire have signed Sam Whiteman, the Doncaster-born captain of Western Australia, on a three-year deal as a non-overseas player.

Whiteman, 33, has joined the club as a locally registered player by virtue of holding a British passport.

The left-handed batsman is available for all formats – County Championship, One-Day Cup and Vitality Blast – and is viewed by Yorkshire as someone who can operate anywhere in the top-four.

By virtue of his switch, Whiteman would need to register as an overseas player in Australia going forward, having followed the same route taken recently by Jake Lehmann, the former Yorkshire batsman and son of Darren, who has agreed a two-year deal as a local player with Hampshire.

Sam Whiteman celebrates a century on his last appearance for Western Australia early last month. He made 103 in the second innings of a Sheffield Shield match against Victoria in Melbourne. Photo by Dylan Burns/Getty Images.

placeholder image — Sam Whiteman celebrates a century on his last appearance for Western Australia early last month. He made 103 in the second innings of a Sheffield Shield match against Victoria in Melbourne. Photo by Dylan Burns/Getty Images.

Whiteman moved with his family to Australia at the age of three, grew up in the Bunbury region of Western Australia and said that he was delighted to be returning home.

“I’m thrilled to have signed with my home county,” he said.

“The timing is right for me to return to the UK, and once the opportunity arose for me to sign with Yorkshire, it was one that was too good to turn down.

“I cannot wait to step out on to Headingley for the first time.

"It’s the best ground and best wicket in the English game, and it’ll be a really proud moment for me to pull on the Yorkshire shirt for the first time in April.”

Whiteman comes with a wealth of quality and experience.

He has won a raft of titles Down Under, twice captaining Western Australia to Sheffield Shield glory and enjoying plenty of success in the Big Bash League.

He has represented Australia A, averages a healthy 35 from 119 first-class appearances, and 32 in 72 one-day fixtures.

He hit a century on his most recent outing early last month, against Victoria at Melbourne in the Sheffield Shield, and ticks all the boxes for the Yorkshire coaches.

Gavin Hamilton, the club’s general manager of cricket, said: “Sam is an exceptional batter and a proven leader.

“He is an excellent signing for us and we are all so delighted to be signing him on a long-term contract. He has a very impressive record, and he is the profile of batsman and player that we value highly.

“Sam has proven himself at the highest level of cricket in Australia, and the experience he has gained during his time there will be an incredibly important asset for us as we look to build further in 2026. We are all looking forward to welcoming Sam home in April.”

Whiteman’s arrival will help offset the departure of Dawid Malan, who has signed T20 terms with Gloucestershire, as Yorkshire look to build on their first season back in the County Championship top-flight, a semi-final finish in the One-Day Cup and to compete for hitherto elusive T20 silverware.

It will be Whiteman’s second taste of county cricket – he played for Northamptonshire in 2023, scoring 913 runs in 11 Championship and eight one-day games, while he also represented Cuckfield in the Sussex Cricket League Premier Division in 2018 and had a season with Weybridge in the Surrey Championship Premier Division in 2010, also playing for Surrey seconds.