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Hampshire’s newest recruit, Ali Orr, has had a promising start to his career and we have taken a look at some of the highlights so far
Ali Orr became the newest member of the Hampshire squad, arriving at The Ageas Bowl on a multi-year deal from Sussex.
The 22-year-old from Eastbourne had been with his boyhood club since the age of ten and signed his first professional contract in April 2021.
Since then, he has made 51 appearances across all three formats, scoring an impressive 2,810 runs in the process.
We have taken a look at some of Orr’s best moments from his career so far.
Kent v Sussex (LV= Insurance County Championship) 11-14 July 2021, The Spitfire Ground
Orr was given his professional debut during the 2021 County Championship as Sussex, captained by Ben Brown, took on Yorkshire at Headingley. Despite suffering an innings defeat in the match, the then 20-year-old batter showed his potential with a maiden half-century in the second innings.
He wouldn’t have to wait too much longer for his first century. Taking on Kent at Canterbury, in just his third match, Orr scored 119 runs from 254 balls during Sussex’s second innings as the two sides played out a draw. During the knock he also put on a 209-run partnership with Tom Haines.
The left-hander would go on to finish his debut First-Class campaign with 548 runs, at an average of 39.14, from 14 innings. Though the innings at Kent would be his only century, he passed fifty on four occasions.
Worcestershire Rapids v Sussex Sharks (Royal London Cup) 6 August 2021, New Road
2021 also saw Orr given his first taste of white-ball action by Sussex Sharks, playing in five of their eight Royal London Cup group matches.
Mirroring his First-Class career, it would take Orr until just his third match to record a List A century. He hit six fours and five maximums on his way to a score of 108 from 133 balls against Worcestershire Rapids, in a contest where no other player from either side scored over 46.
The innings proved to be of importance as it gave the Sharks a platform to secure a two-wicket victory.
Sussex v Derbyshire (LV= Insurance County Championship) 26-29 June 2022, The 1st Central County Ground
Following a promising debut season, Orr was able to make more strides in both red and white ball cricket in 2022 – making 29 appearances across all three formats.
Having seemingly become a fixture at the top of the order in their four-day side, he played in all five of Sussex’s opening County Championship fixtures – the last of which saw him fall just one run short of a ton against Middlesex.
Despite then missing the next two games, he made a return to the XI against Derbyshire and did not disappoint. Although the away side declared in both of their innings, Orr made a match-winning 141 from 203 balls on the final day at Hove, guiding Sussex to an unlikely victory.
His form did not slow down in the red ball format, with scores of 70 and 106* in the next match against Leicestershire.
Somerset v Sussex Sharks (Royal London Cup) 19 August 2022, The Cooper Associates County Ground
After making his first T20 appearances in the Vitality Blast earlier in the year, the Royal London Cup once again gave Orr a chance to showcase his ability in limited overs cricket.
It was an opportunity he grasped with both hands, opening the batting in all eight of the Sharks’ group matches. His best performance came in the penultimate group match against Somerset where he made a sensational double hundred.
206 runs, which included 18 fours and 11 sixes, came at a ridiculous strike rate of 127.95 and meant Orr had broken the Club record for the highest individual List A score in an innings. Unsurprisingly the Sharks – who posted a total just under 400 – went on to win the match, before another victory in their final game saw them top the group.
As a result, they earned a home semi-final but suffered defeat to eventual runners-up Lancashire. Orr finished the competition as the fifth top run scorer on 526, which came at an average of 58.44.
Sussex v Glamorgan (LV= Insurance County Championship) 26-29 September 2022, The 1st Central County Ground
Though Orr’s stock has risen during their 2022 County Championship campaign, Sussex went into the final match against Glamorgan with nothing to play for – sitting in seventh place, with just one win from 13 matches.
However, that would not stop the young batter from finishing off in style. In the second innings, Orr made his highest First-Class score of 198 – it came off just 174 balls as he struck 28 boundaries, including ten maximums.
It was a fitting way to end a magnificent season for Orr and saw him pass 1,000 runs in the County Championship for the year. He finished as Sussex’s second top run getter, behind Indian international Cheteshwar Pujara, and the sixth highest in the whole of Division Two.
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