Yorkshire CCC make Harry Duke big part of their future with extended deal

Along the way, over the course of the last three years, he has shown enough flashes of it, including the time when, aged 19 years and 322 days, he became the youngest Yorkshire player to make a List A century since Sachin Tendulkar - the Indian master being 212 days younger when he pulled it off back in 1992.

Duke’s impressive knock came in the same year he made his debut across all formats for Yorkshire. Since then he has gone on to play 19 times in the County Championship - including twice on loan for Essex earlier this season - as well as making 23 appearances in one-day cricket and five in T20.

It is in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup where Duke will get his best opportunity to further flourish later this summer, while Jonny Tattersall keeps hold of the gloves in the County Championship.

Still only aged 22, though, Duke, from Wakefield, is seen as the future of the club in terms of keeping wicket.

“Harry is a very talented young cricketer and we think very highly of him,” said Yorkshire head coach, Ottis Gibson.

“Jonny has the gloves in four-day cricket at present, but we believe Dukey is the future of the club in terms of keeping wicket, so we wanted to tie him down to a couple more years and continue his development.

“We will keep providing him with opportunities, and we can use the One-Day Cup in a few weeks to give him exposure.

“He will keep wicket in that competition, like he has done in the past. That will be his development.”

Alongside Yorkshire team-mate Will Luxton, Duke has this week been selected to play for a first-class Counties Select XI in a three-day game against the West Indies at Beckenham.

And as he gets close to graduating from his Business Management degree at Leeds University, Duke is now preparing to throw himself wholeheartedly into his cricket.

“The only thing I’ve ever known is this club and playing at Yorkshire,” said Duke.

“I want to contribute this year in some way to getting us back into Division One. Then, down the line, hopefully it will be towards us winning the Championship.

“That’s what the aspirations were of all us young lads coming through the Academy.

“Committing to the club long-term is what I wanted to do - it was a no-brainer of a decision for me.”