James Fuller is a right-arm bowler and right-hand batter.
He was born in Cape Town, Cape Province and has represented Hampshire in all formats since joining the Club from Middlesex in 2018.
A sharp seam bowler and powerful middle-order hitter, Fuller started his professional cricketing career in Otago, New Zealand, before moving to England to play for Gloucestershire in 2011.
The key highlight of his time in Bristol was no doubt the superb hat-trick he claimed against Worcestershire in 2013, as well as Gloucestershire’s 50-over triumph in 2015 – a game in which he claimed two wickets.
A move to Middlesex soon followed in 2016 and Fuller began catching the eye through his strong T20 displays, as well as stating his claim with influential performances in the County Championship.
His contributions in Middlesex’s definitive wins over Hampshire and Somerset helped them land the red-ball title that summer, and such was the nature of his performances, the all-rounder received an England Lions call-up that winter.
Injury prevented Fuller from making a further impact on Middlesex’s success in 2017 before moving to Utilita Bowl the following summer.
Fuller made an immediate impact upon arriving at Hampshire, featuring throughout all three formats during his first full season in 2019, scoring nearly 400 runs and taking 15 wickets whilst cementing a middle-order batting slot and middle-overs bowling role.
His contributions helped Hampshire reach a second successive List A final, with late-innings runs a particular strength, something that was showcased perfectly as he struck a majestic 55* at Lord's in the competition curtain-closer.
Although the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in a truncated 2020 domestic season, it was certainly one to remember for Fuller as he became the 15th player to record a hat-trick for Hampshire with an incredible spell against Surrey in the Bob Willis Trophy.
A positive Vitality Blast campaign followed hot-on-the-heels of that red-ball performance, as he topped the list of Hampshire run-getters.
Fuller was a mainstay in Hampshire's white ball squads during the 2021 season and scored over 300 runs combined in the Vitality Blast and Royal London Cup., though only featured twice in the County Championship.
2022 saw Fuller produce his best performances for Hampshire yet. During the red-ball campaign, his 28 wickets and 505 runs were crucial for Hampshire as they recorded a third-place finish in the County Championship, their best finish since 2008. Taking the final wicket in a dramatic victory over Northamptonshire at Utilita Bowl is a moment that will live long in the memory for many Hampshire fans.
Meanwhile, in the Vitality Blast, Fuller scored 280 runs, at an average of 35, which included a best of 45 against Gloucestershire. He also notched an impressive 21 wickets, the highlight of which came with figures of 4-17 against Birmingham Bears in the quarter-final, as Hampshire Hawks went on to lift the 2022 Vitality Blast – their third T20 title.
The all-rounder's contributions did not go unnoticed, as he picked up the prestigious Players' Player of the Year award at the 2022 End of Season Awards.
After a winter taking part in a number of franchise leagues around the world, Fuller continued to impress at Utilita Bowl.
In the County Championship, he recorded five-wicket hauls against Northamptonshire and Kent – his first in a Hampshire shirt – on his way to 24 wickets. He also scored 384 runs with two half-centuries.
He missed the start of the Vitality Blast campaign through injury, before making a return to help the Hawks to a record tenth Finals Day. His score of 57 against Essex was vital in completing a dramatic run chase victory at Utilita Bowl.
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