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Matthew Critchley is a quality middle-order bat and an equally potent leg-spinner who represents Derbyshire in county cricket. At an age of just 18, Critchley youngest player to score a century for Derbyshire when he scored 137 against Northamptonshire in 2015. The Lancashire-born cricketer started playing the sport at Junior Club level at 13 at Brinscall Cricket Club, where his father was a Level 3 coach. He started as a spinner who batted in the lower order. The teenager represented Lancashire U-17, before getting contacted by Derbyshire. As his career progressed, Critchley started taking both batting and bowling seriously. The allrounder played a couple of valuable seasons for Derbyshire to get the England Lions’ cap in 2018. In a couple of months, Critchley was awarded the cap to play the Championship games and secured his first-ever 10-wicket haul against Northamptonshire. In the shortened 2020 season, the allrounder scored 388 all formats runs and was the fourth-highest run-getter for his county, apart from topping the wicket-takers list with 21 scalps under his belt. In 2021, Critchley was drafted by the Welsh Fire squad for the inaugural edition of the Hundred. His all-round skill set makes a utility player for the franchise to become the favorites to clinch the trophy. (As of April 2021)
