PROFILE

Ollie had made his mark in 2010 when he played in every Championship fixture and was particularly impressive early one when, in the first two matches, he bagged career-best figures of 5-65 and finished with 34 wickets. In 2011 he found 1^st Team places harder to come by, playing in just 4 Championship matches and taking only 2 wickets at 162.50.

At times, particularly against Somerset at Taunton, he bowled very well with scant reward. He bagged 5 CB40 wickets at 28.80 as he played the first 4 one-day matches of his career, but he will want to come back strongly in 2012 and make a Championship place his own again.

Promoted from Academy to Junior Professional in 2008, Oliver was given his first-class debut against Surrey at The Oval that year when his maiden wicket was the prize scalp of Mark Ramprakash.

Although he did not advance quite so much in 2009, largely due to a number of niggly injuries, the tall paceman still showed how dangerous he can be by grabbing 6-49 for Yorkshire Seconds in their Championship clash with Nottinghamshire at Headingley Carnegie. They were his side’s best figures of the season in the competition and he finished with a match analysis of 9-76.

JAMES BUTTLER
January 2012