Ben Cliff
{{Short description|English cricketer (born 2002)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2024}}
{{Infobox cricketer
| name = Ben Cliff
| image =
| fullname = Benjamin Michael Clifff
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|2002|10|23|df=y}}
| birth_place = Halifax, Yorkshire, England
| batting = Right-handed
| bowling = Right arm medium
| role =
| family =
| club1 = Yorkshire
| year1 = {{nowrap|2023–present}}
| type1 =FC
| debutdate1 = 10 September
| debutyear1 = 2023
| debutfor1 = Yorkshire
| debutagainst1 = Glamorgan
| type2 = LA
| debutdate2 = 2 August
| debutyear2 = 2022
| debutfor2 = Yorkshire
| debutagainst2 = Northamptonshire
| clubnumber1 =
| columns = 3
| column1 = FC
| matches1 = 3
| runs1 = 23
| bat avg1 = 7.66
| 100s/50s1 = 0
| top score1 = 20
| deliveries1 = 180
| wickets1 = 100000
| bowl avg1 = 42.66
| fivefor1 = 0
| tenfor1 = 0
| best bowling1 = 2/27
| catches/stumpings1 = 0/–
| column2 = LA
| matches2 = 8
| runs2 = 3
| bat avg2 = 1.50
| 100s/50s2 = 0
| top score2 = 0
| deliveries2 = 315
| wickets2 = 9
| bowl avg2 = 35.00
| fivefor2 = 0
| tenfor2 = 0
| best bowling2 = 3/37
| catches/stumpings2 = 1/–
| column3 = T20
| matches3 = 5
| runs3 = 2
| bat avg3 = –
| 100s/50s3 = 0
| top score3 = 2*
| deliveries3 = 96
| wickets3 = 8
| bowl avg3 = 18.62
| fivefor3 = 0
| tenfor3 = 0
| best bowling3 = 4/31
| catches/stumpings3 = 0/–
| date = 6 April
| year = 2025
| source = https://www.espncricinfo.com/cricketers/benjamin-cliff-1276111 Cricinfo
}}
Benjamin Michael Cliff (born 23 October 2002) is an English cricketer who plays for Yorkshire Cricket Club.{{cite web|url=https://yorkshireccc.com/players/ben-cliff/ |title=Ben Cliff |work=Yorkshire County Cricket Club |accessdate=21 September 2024}} He is a right handed batsman and right arm medium pace bowler.{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/1276111.html |title=Benjamin Cliff Profile - Cricket Player England {{!}} Stats, Records, Video |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=21 September 2024}}
Early life
From Halifax, West Yorkshire,{{cite web|url= https://www.thecricketer.com/Topics/features/england_under_19s_meet_15_man_squad_aiming_world_cup_glory_tom_prest.html|website=The Cricketer|accessdate=17 July 2024|title= England Under-19s: Meet the 15-man squad aiming for World Cup glory|date=16 January 2022|first=Adam|last=Oliver}} Cliff played as a youngster at Copley Cricket Club in the Halifax League.{{cite web|first= Matt|last=Dawson|date=November 5, 2021|title=Local lad Ben Cliff on tour with England u19s|website=The Cricket Asylum|url=https://www.thecricketasylum.co.uk/post/local-lad-ben-cliff-on-tour-with-england-u19s|accessdate=6 April 2024}}{{cite web|url= https://www.halifaxcourier.co.uk/sport/cricket/copley-out-to-repeat-2014-win-1011089|website=Halifax Courier|accessdate=6 April 2024|title= Copley out to repeat 2014 win|date=27 July 2018}}
Career
He signed a rookie contract with Yorkshire in July 2022. He began to be included in first-team squads which Yorkshire Director of Cricket Darren Gough described as “recognition for his performances” in second-XI cricket for Yorkshire.{{cite web|title=Yorkshire CCC agree new deals with talented trio George Hill, Ben Cliff and Finlay Bean|url=https://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/sport/cricket/yorkshire-ccc-agree-new-deals-with-talented-trio-george-hill-ben-cliff-and-finlay-bean-3769835|first=Chris|last=Waters|date=15 July 2022|accessdate=12 July 2023|website=Yorkshire Post}}{{Cite web |title= George Hill, Finlay Bean and Ben Cliff commit futures to Yorkshire|url= https://www.thecricketer.com/Topics/countycricket/george_hill_finlay_bean_and_ben_cliff_commit_futures_to_yorkshire.html |website=The Cricketer |accessdate=12 July 2023|first= Elizabeth |last=Botcherby | date= 15 July 2022}} He made his List A debut for Yorkshire on 2 August 2022 against Northamptonshire, in 2022 One-Day Cup.{{cite web|title=Yorkshire Vs. Northants|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/royal-london-one-day-cup-2022-1297661/yorkshire-vs-northamptonshire-group-b-1297963/full-scorecard|website=espncricinfo|accessdate=12 July 2023|date=2 August 2022}}
During the 2023 season, he remained part of the Yorkshire red ball first team and in July 2023, was given a two-year professional contract with the county.{{cite web|work=Yorkshire County Cricket Club |title= Eight player contract extensions announced for Yorkshire |url=https://yorkshireccc.com/news/eight-player-contract-extensions-announced-for-yorkshire/ |date=11 July 2023|accessdate=21 September 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.thetelegraphandargus.co.uk/sport/23514028/|website=The Telegraph and Argus|accessdate=12 July 2023|date=11 May 2023|title=Yorkshire bring Shan Masood and Ben Cliff in for Durham game}}{{cite web|url= https://www.thecricketer.com/Topics/countycricket/finlay_bean_eight_new_contracts_yorkshire.html|website=The Cricketer|accessdate=1 June 2024|title= Finlay Bean leads eight new contracts for Yorkshire: "There is still growth for all of them"|date=12 July 2023}} He made his first-class debut for Yorkshire against Glamorgan on 10 September 2023 in 2023 County Championship.{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/county-championship-division-two-2023-1347098/glamorgan-vs-yorkshire-1347196/full-scorecard |title=Yorkshire vs Glamorgan at Cardiff- September 10 - 13, 2023, County Championship Division Two |work=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=21 September 2024}}
Playing in the 2nd XI T20 final in July 2024, he took an unusual caught and bowled when Somerset batter Ned Leonard struck the ball against the batter at the non-strikers end which deflected it back to Cliff.{{cite web|url=https://www.firstpost.com/firstcricket/sports-news/ben-cliff-ned-leonard-catch-video-2nd-xi-twenty20-final-13793898.html/amp|website=First Post|accessdate=17 July 2024|title= Watch: Yorkshire bowler takes bizarre caught and bowled in 2nd XI Twenty20 Final|date=July 17, 2024}}{{cite web|url= https://www.freepressjournal.in/amp/sports/video-ned-leonards-strange-dismissal-by-ben-cliff-during-somerset-vs-yorkshire-second-eleven-t20-final|website=FreePressJournal|accessdate=17 July 2024|title= Video: Ned Leonard's Strange Dismissal By Ben Cliff During Somerset vs Yorkshire Second Eleven T20 Final|date=17 July 2024}}
He made his Twenty20 debut for Yorkshire earlier in the 2024 season in 2024 T20 Blast, Cliff took career-best figures of 4/31 against
Nottinghamshire at Headingley on 19 July 2024.{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/t20-blast-2024-1410370/yorkshire-vs-nottinghamshire-north-group-1410495/match-report|title=Yorkshire's quarter-final hopes end with defeat to Nottinghamshire|publisher=ESPNCricinfo|accessdate=19 July 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://yorkshireccc.com/news/report-yorkshire-vikings-v-nottinghamshire-outlaws-vitality-blast/|title=REPORT: YORKSHIRE VIKINGS V NOTTINGHAMSHIRE OUTLAWS, VITALITY BLAST|date=19 July 2024 |publisher=Yorkshire County Cricket Club|accessdate=19 July 2024}}
International career
Cliff played for England U19 on their tour of Sri Lanka in December 2021, where he took four wickets at an average of 23.25. In January 2022, he was added to 2022 Under-19 Men's Cricket World Cup squad in the place of Sonny Baker, who was ruled out of England's squad due to a back injury.{{cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/icc-u19-world-cup-2022-benjamin-cliff-replaces-injured-sonny-baker-in-england-s-u-19-world-cup-squad-1297254|title=Benjamin Cliff replaces injured Sonny Baker in England's U-19 World Cup squad|publisher=ESPNCricinfo|accessdate=19 July 2024}}{{cite web|url=https://www.thecricketer.com/Topics/international/england_injured_seamer_sonny_baker_under_19_world_cup.html|website=The Cricketer|accessdate=6 April 2024|title= England lose injured seamer Sonny Baker for Under-19 World Cup|first=Nick|last=Howson|date=16 January 2022}} He also featured for the team in the 2022 summer season.{{cite web|url=https://www.thecricketer.com/Topics/news/england_u19_sri_lanka_u19_asitha_wanninayake_century_frustrates_england_despite_late_wickets.html| website=The Cricketer|accessdate=6 April 2024|title= Asitha Wanninayake century frustrates England despite late wickets|first=Nicholas|last=Rowland|date=22 August 2022}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{cricinfo|id=1276111}}
{{Yorkshire County Cricket Club squad}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cliff, Ben}}
Category:Cricketers from Yorkshire