Gloucestershire sign seamer James Hayes on permanent two-year deal

Gloucestershire have completed a permanent move for Nottinghamshire seamer James Hayes, bringing the 25-year-old bowler into the club on a two-year deal following two successful loan spells during the course of this year.

Hayes, who took a wicket on his County Championship debut for Gloucestershire at Durham last month, first joined on loan in July, claiming six wickets in four T20 Blast appearances before returning in August for the remainder of the County Championship campaign.

The seamer joined Nottinghamshire in 2021 and has since taken 25 wickets in 17 One-Day Cup appearances. He made his first-class debut at Leicestershire in May, coming in as an injury substitute for Brett Hutton.

Potential recognised

Gloucestershire director of cricket Jon Lewis believes the move unlocks significant potential.

“He's a really exciting young bowler who's got a lot of potential, and we feel we can really help him improve and develop,” Lewis told the club website.

“He's had some really good support up at Nottinghamshire but hasn't been able to break into the first team, and we're hopeful he can come in and put some really strong first-team performances in for Gloucestershire.”

For Hayes, the decision was made easier by family ties and the welcome he has received in Bristol.

“I've really enjoyed my time in Bristol over the two loan spells, and the fans and staff made it a brilliant place to be,” Hayes said.

“Having family living close to Bristol made this an easy decision too, and with such a great environment here I'm excited to join permanently.”

The permanent switch hands Gloucestershire a proven wicket-taker across formats as they look to build a competitive seam attack for the seasons ahead.