Bilal Shafayat Signs for Hampshire

Batsman offered one-year deal

Hampshire batsman Bilal Shafayat has signed a one-year contract with the Club, providing greater strength in depth until the end of the season.

The 27-year-old former Nottinghamshire player was originally registered on a short-term deal at the beginning of May when senior batsmen Jimmy Adams and Michael Carberry were unavailable for selection.

He scored 93 on debut when drafted into the senior team for the recent rain-affected LV= County Championship match against Derbyshire at The Ageas Bowl. He has also been included in senior squads to face Yorkshire at Headingley and Glamorgan at The Ageas Bowl since the Leicestershire match but has not featured in the starting XI.

He said; “I’ve been in the training sessions, been involved with the Seconds and travelled with the squad on a couple of occasions and I had a good feeling about Hampshire. The people in charge have shown some backing in me and support for me once again which, at this stage in my career, is very important.

“I’ve been offered a year contract and I’m gladly signing it.”

He has represented Hampshire’s Second XI in spells over the last two seasons, scoring 479 runs (including a double-hundred against Glamorgan and a century against Middlesex) in two Second XI Championship matches in 2011 and 39* then 77 in a SEC match against Essex earlier this summer.

Shafayat started his career at Nottinghamshire and has also played for Northamptonshire.

Words: Simon Vincent
Images: NJM Photography

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