Vitality Blast 2024: Ashton Turner renews partnership with Durham

Australian T20 specialist middle-order batter, Ashton Turner, has been re-signed by Durham ahead of the Vitality Blast 2024, which will be the 22nd edition of the competition.

Turner might have played only 19 T20Is for Australia since making his debut in February 2017, but the hard-hitter has a wealth of experience under his belt, having featured in 186 T20s up until now, stockpiling 2,851 runs at an impressive strike rate of 141.20, with a best score of 84*, which is coincidentally the same as his best knock in ODIs.

He has spent 11 long seasons with the most successful franchise of the Big Bash League (BBL), the Perth Scorchers, who've won the tournament a record five times, and has been a pivotal element for them in the middle-order over the years.

Notably, over the last two summers, the 31-year-old player has made the Riverside Ground his seasonal residence, with him representing Durham in the past couple of seasons, scoring 124 and 284 in the 2022 and 2023 editions, respectively. He also registered his best T20 figures with his right-arm off-spin, returning figures of 3/20 in last year's edition of the Vitality Blast.

The Director of Cricket at Durham, Marcus North, heaped praise on the Aussie, with him stating that he's illustrated essential attributes of leadership and has been able to gel with his colleagues in the dressing room perfectly alright. He also referred to Turner as a ratified leader and run-getter, owing to him leading Western Australia and the Perth Scorchers to multiple title triumphs in the preceding years.

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"During his two spells at the club, he has demonstrated vital leadership skills and fits into our dressing room very well. He is a proven leader and run-scorer, having captained the Scorchers and Western Australia to multiple championships in recent years," said North.

This year we can be extremely ambitious: Turner

Alluding to Durham's promotion in the 2023 County Championship from the second division to the first courtesy of finishing at the top, as well as the new signings Durham have made this year along with enhanced player availability this time around, Turner hoped to put the past couple of seasons behind him, with him wanting Durham to go into the season with a renewed purpose.

"We have underachieved over the last couple years, but combining the confidence that some success in red-ball cricket brings with some exciting new signings and hopefully more player availabilities, this year we can be extremely ambitious," Turner stated.

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