Vince, 33, was retained by Karachi Kings ahead of the PSL draft on Monday. The ECB announced in November that it will only grant NOCs – the paperwork required for players to feature in overseas leagues – to white-ball specialists for tournaments that take place during the English season, with the notable exception of the IPL.
The new policy, and the PCB’s decision to shift its flagship tournament into a new April-May window, left Vince with a choice between skipping the PSL – at significant financial cost – or renegotiating the final year of his Hampshire contract to become a white-ball specialist. He has chosen the latter, in a move confirmed by the club on Wednesday morning.
“I love Hampshire,” Vince said. “It’s been my club and home for 16 years, so I want to be able to maintain my best to keep delivering for Hampshire in T20 cricket, and hopefully even further our success in the competition [the Blast]. I also need to understand what is best for my family, and combine that with the stage of my career I am at.”
Hampshire cited Vince’s decision to relocate his family to Dubai – where he is currently playing for Gulf Giants – as a major factor in his new deal, following a series of unexplained attacks on their home in the county last year. “I am so grateful to everyone at Utilita Bowl for supporting me last year through a really tough time, and for allowing me to make this next step,” Vince said.
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Giles White, Hampshire’s director of cricket, asked the club’s supporters to be understanding of Vince’s decision. “James has been at the heart of the club for the best part of 20 years, showing absolute commitment on and off the field as the team’s leading batter and captain,” he said.
“We recognise that this announcement will be tinged with disappointment for many fans but hope everyone will join us in celebrating what he has given to our club over many years and supporting him as he fulfils his commitment to continue leading the Hawks in the 2025 Vitality Blast.”
Vince is the first high-profile player to make a major career decision informed by the ECB’s new policy and even if, at 33, he was unlikely to add to his 13 Test caps, his move is significant. He has captained Hampshire since 2015 and has been the linchpin of their batting line-up, scoring 29 hundreds and averaging 41.22 across his 197 first-class matches for them.
Matt Roller is an assistant editor at ESPNcricinfo. @mroller98
Source: ESPN Crickinfo