Australian batter Jake Lehmann says he’s “excited” to work with Hampshire’s new-look coaching set-up and young players with “potential”.
The 33-year-old has signed a two-year deal to play all formats in 2026 and 2027. Lehmann helped South Australia win last season’s Sheffield Shield for the first time in 29 years.
Hampshire have recently announced South African Russell Domingo as their new head coach, supported by new bowling coach, former Scotland head coach Shane Burger, and ex-club captain Jimmy Adams who remains as batting coach.
That coaching team will lead an exciting crop of players including opening bat Fletcha Middleton, 23, batters Ali Orr and Toby Albert, both 24, and all-rounder Tom Prest, 22, while academy prospect Ben Mayes, who debuted in August, only turned 18 in November.
With the ball in hand John Turner, 24, and another right-arm pacer Sonny Baker, 22, have both received England white ball call-ups already.
“I’m excited because I actually don’t know much about the coaching staff,” Lehmann told BBC Radio Solent. “I actually played against Jimmy, and he’s been over here to Australia in the T20 stuff.
“Jimmy is a great coach so I’m excited to work with him in terms of a batting perspective, and the other things I’ve spoken the people about is the excitingness of these young players.
“Everyone sees the growth and the potential in these kids, and I feel like I’ve been in a pretty lucky position in South Australia to help progress a few of their kids to win a Premiership and a Shield and one-dayers last year.
“I’ve probably seen the cycle of how it can happen, and putting them in between a couple of senior players that are still around in [Liam] Dawson and [Ben] Brown and the likes of them.
“Hopefully I can add to that and really put a nice mould of ages throughout the team.”