Australia pace veteran Andrew Tye has become the third player in recent weeks to sign a county contract as a domestically registered player.
Tye joins Whiteman at Yorkshire
Tye has signed a two-year contract to play T20 Blast only at Yorkshire. While the press release announcing Tye's signing makes no mention to his status as a domestic player, the club's website clarifies that the 39-year-old "arrives as a domestic-qualified player courtesy of English family links."
The signing means Tye is the second Australian and second Western Australian to sign for Yorkshire in the last week. Sam Whiteman has given up any opportunity he might have to play international cricket for Australia by signing for Yorkshire as a domestic player from 2026, penning a three-year all-format contract. Tye's situation is slightly different, in that he has already given up his Australian domestic contract for Western Australia, having forgone a contract to become a full-time T20 freelancer in 2024.
Tye represented Australia 39 times between 2016 and 2021, 32 of which came in T20Is. While he gave up his Western Australia contract, he continues to play in the BBL, representing Melbourne Renegades in two matches so far this season. He has previously played county cricket for Gloucestershire, Durham and Northants.
Why are Australian domestic players signing domestic county contracts?
Tye is the third Australian to sign an English county contract as a domestically registered player this winter. Before Whiteman's deal with Yorkshire was announced, South Australia batter Jake Lehmann confirmed that he had signed a two-year deal with Hampshire as a domestic player. Lehmann qualifies as a local player through his British passport, and he will need to register as an overseas player for future Sheffield Shield or other appearances in Australian domestic matches.
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All three signings are in their thirties, with both Lehmann and Whiteman being 33 and Tye older at 39. It's unlikely any of them would have been selected for Australia had they chosen to remain as domestic players in Australia (required for national selection under ICC rules). All of them also have British links which qualify them as domestic players in England. They will also all still be able to play in Australian domestic leagues, provided they register as overseas players.
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