Jake Lehmann, the son of Australia World Cup-winner Darren Lehmann, has made a prolific start to the 2026 County Championship season, where he is playing for Hampshire as a local player.
The 33-year-old arrived in England after being a part of the victorious South Australia side in the recent Sheffield Shield. Since the start of the 2024 season, Lehmann has averaged 40.06 in the competition, with six hundreds, the most recent of which was scored against Tasmania in December last year. During the season, he signed a two-year deal with Hampshire, which, facilitated by a British passport, would allow him to feature as a local player for the Southampton-based side..
However, the move also brought with it a significant trade-off. By deciding to register as a local player in England, Lehmann will now have to register as an overseas player in Australian domestic cricket, effectively ending any remaining hopes of representing the Australia national side.
“That [representing Australia] was always the dream and the goal, but only a small number of people get to do it,” Lehmann had told ESPNCricinfoearlier this year. “Unfortunately, I haven't got to do it, but I'm also grateful to have played first-class cricket for the last 12 years.”
Lehmann makes strong Championship start
Lehmann, who is playing for his third county club, having represented Yorkshire (2016) and Lancashire (2019) as an overseas player, made his debut for Hampshire against Essex, making 34 and 9. Against Yorkshire, he notched up twin fifties, scoring 76 and then 92 as Hampshire won by 214 runs.
Match 21, Hampshire vs Somerset
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In the third round against Somerset, which began today (April 17), Lehmann walked out with the team at 51-2, which soon became 75-3 and then 85-4. Hampshire kept losing regular wickets and were 126-7 at one stage, but Lehmann anchored the innings with a 110-ball 76, ensuring they reached the 200-run mark.
After five innings, the left-hander has 287 runs at an average of 57.40, and is only behind Jamie Smith in the Division One highest run-scorers list.
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