Opening batsman Karl Turner has penned a one-year deal with Nottinghamshire after catching the eye of director of cricket Mick Newell.
Turner, 23, joined Notts on a temporary basis in July, turning out in the final five County Championship games of last season.
The Dryburn-born left-hander is hoping it will be third time lucky at Trent Bridge after previous spells in second XI cricket with Hampshire and his native Durham.
Newell reckons he’s now worth taking a longer punt on and believes he could help solve the club’s problems at the top of the order.
He said: “Karl showed some promise last season and we feel that he is a player that could develop given an opportunity. We see him as an opener in four-day cricket and feel that he has the potential to make an impression.”
In his first month at the club, Turner hit 185 for the Second XI and signed off for the first team with a 64 and a 42 in a losing cause against Sussex.
It was the club’s sixth defeat of a disappointing Championship campaign in which they finished sixth after lifting the title the previous year.
In total Newell tried out nine different combinations of openers – but none were able to put on a century stand in the first innings.
As well as securing Turner’s signature, he has also brought in Hampshire and England opener Michael Lumb in a bid to alter those fortunes.
