Organ signs as fixtures delayed
By Connor Steel
HAMPSHIRE CRICKET have announced that youngster Felix Organ has signed a new one year extension with the county, committing to playing at the Ageas Bowl for the 2022 campaign after a great summer record this year as the Hawks challenged for major honours across all levels of the domestic sport.
The twenty-two year old, originally born to English parents in Australia, has risen through the ranks at Hampshire through their academy, making his first class debut versus Middlesex in September 2017 and his first List A appearance came in a match against Windward Islands five months later in February 2018 in a warm-up encounter.
Signing a professional contract in late 2018 Organ broke into the first team and became a regular starter towards the end of the 2019 campaign with the all-rounder making an immediate impact. He recorded his maiden century against Kent in only his third first class match and later secured victory over Surrey with career-best figures of 5-25.
COVID-19 affected the 2020 cricketing summer, but it didn’t stop Organ from having a productive campaign with five appearances in the inaugural Bob Willis Trophy replacing the traditional County Championship competition. He also made his Twenty-20 debut in the Vitality Blast versus Surrey in the same pandemic impacted season.
2021 seemed to be Organ’s breakout campaign as the all-rounder chipped in with eight first class wickets at an average of twenty five and an impressive rate of 2.81. Batting wise the youngster also added over two hundred lower order runs as Hampshire pushed for glory in the Championship only to fall away with defeat to Lancashire on the final day.
Director of Cricket Giles White was delighted with the contract extension, saying: “It’s great that Felix has committed his future to the Club. He’s been with Hampshire since he was young, coming through the age group system and we’ve always been impressed with his attitude while possessing clear talent with both bat and ball.”
Organ spoke to the club website to confirm the news and he was hopeful of glory next campaign. The all-rounder said: “I love Hampshire. I started playing here when I was eight or nine and I like the idea of only playing at one club. It’s a nice feeling to have extended my contract, we got so close last year to getting some trophies, hopefully next year we’ll go one step further.”
Organ has joined many fellow teammates including Brad Wheal and Lewis McManus in committing their futures to Hampshire Cricket in preparations for the new campaigns, with the structure of the County Championship decided. However the ECB have decided to delay fixture announcements until the New Year with complexities at grounds and international cricket.
But it has been confirmed that County Championship matches will be played regularly from the start of the season until the end of July. The Royal London Cup and The Hundred will follow before the Championship finishes in September. The Vitality Blast will commence at the end of May with Finals Day to be staged at Edgbaston on 16 July.
