Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Ben Cliff is ready to push on with more first-team cricket in 2026.
Ben Cliff has described last summer’s Metro Bank One-Day Cup as “one of the best months of my career”. Now, he is hoping for more of the same this summer, but for that success to be extended across all competitions.
The 23-year-old fast bowler has been in and around the first team for the opening two Rothesay County Championship matches of the summer. He was drafted in as an injury substitution for ill Jack White on day three of the defeat against Hampshire at Headingley on Sunday.
He bowled five overs for 20 in Hampshire’s second innings before taking four wickets in a second-team win over Derbyshire at Scarborough earlier this week. He also hit a first-innings 43 with the bat.
Cliff spent his second successive winter playing club cricket in Melbourne, for Greenvale Kangaroos, one he enjoyed alongside team-mate Will Luxton, who is also in Cardiff and hoping to play. He claimed 16 wickets in Premier Cricket with a best return of 4-54.
The Halifax-born quick had a strange old season last year.
He was in the eleven for the season-opener at Hampshire this time last year, only for a side injury to strike him down midway through. It proved to be his only Championship appearance of the season.
In fact, his only exposure in first-team cricket last year was in the One-Day Cup, which yielded 10 wickets in six appearances, including a career best 5-46 in the opening day win over Warwickshire at Scarborough.
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.com. Ben Cliff celebrates the dismissal of Warwickshire batter Zen Malik in last summer’s Metro Bank One-Day Cup.
“It was gutting,” he said, of his early-season injury.
“It’s hard to not sort of think about it because I thought I was in a good spot and got the backing from Mags and Mickey and Jonny. And, you know, it just sort of ended abruptly.
“Then, to try and get back was tough.
“But when I did, I had that really good month in the One-Day Cup, and it was one of the best months of my career. It was fantastic.
“Obviously, I didn’t quite get a chance at the back end in the Championship. But, hopefully – fingers crossed, I can stay fit this year and play a bit more.
“I was actually quite apprehensive about going back to Australia this winter because I felt I came back last year probably a bit over-cooked. But this time, we tailored it a bit more to what I needed overs-wise and things.
“I feel really good having come back. I feel fit and ready.”
Picture by Allan McKenzie/SWPix.con. Yorkshire fast bowler Ben Cliff.
Combined with his playing commitments in Australia, he was part of the five-week, Yorkshire-organised training camp in Melbourne throughout February, led by bowling coach Mick Lewis.
“That was very good,” he said. “The facilities we got to use at the Junction Oval were unbelievable. We trained with the Victoria lads. But it wasn’t just us helping them prepare. It was a proper job that was organised for us.”
As an up and coming seamer, Cliff’s development will be aided by not just his work with coaches such as Lewis and players such as Ben Coad and Jack White to name just a couple. But the signings of Jhye Richardson, AJ Tye and Logan van Beek will be crucial.
He said: “It’ll be interesting to see what they’ve got to say, certainly, in terms of what their plans are and how they go about it.”
And as for success hopes, he added: “All these guys like Beany, Wharts, Rev, Hilly, they’ve had another year doing it and performing.
“We’re determined to do well, and we’re ready to win something, for sure.”