Middlesex Cricket can today confirm that Stephen Eskinazi is set to leave the Club and join Leicestershire – initially on loan, in September, for the remainder of the Rothesay County Championship season, before then joining the Foxes on a permanent basis from the end of this season.
Throughout August, Eskinazi is in Cardiff, representing Welsh Fire in the Hundred, and he remains available to Middlesex for Metro Bank One-Day Cup duty should he become available outside of his Hundred franchise commitments.
Johannesburg-born right-handed batter Eskinazi, now 31, joined the Club in 2013, and after two years scoring heavily for the Club’s second eleven in all three formats of the game, made his first-class debut for Middlesex late in the 2015 season, against Yorkshire at Lord’s.
The following year he cemented a regular place in the Club’s first eleven in the red-ball format, hitting 609 runs in nine matches at an average of 43.50 to help Middlesex lift the County Championship trophy for the first time since 1993.
In total, he has made 92 County Championship appearances for Middlesex, hitting nine centuries and 19 half-centuries, scoring 4,585 runs at an average of 31.19.
By 2018 Eskinazi was commanding a regular place in the first eleven in all three formats of the game, but in recent years it has been in white-ball cricket that he has enjoyed the most success.
In 29 List-A appearances since, he has hit six centuries and two half-centuries, scoring 1,355 runs at an incredible average of 54.20.
In the T20 format of the game he is Middlesex’s second highest run-scorer and has made 101 appearances for the Club in the shortest format of the game, hitting one century and 22 half-centuries in that time, compiling a total of 3,001 runs at an average of 33.71.
Eskinazi’s performances in the T20 format of the game earned him recognition on the franchise tournament stage, with him playing in the Bangladesh Premier League, the Hundred, and in Australia’s Big Bash League, where he played in Perth Scorchers title-winning side of 2023.
Speaking of Eskinazi’s decision to leave the Club, Alan Coleman, Middlesex’s Director of Cricket, commented:
“Eski has been an exceptional servant for Middlesex Cricket for many years since joining us well over a decade ago.
“In recent seasons, whilst excelling in white-ball cricket, he has found it hard to secure a regular place in the Club’s red-ball side, and this is the primary reason for him requesting to leave the Club a year ahead of his contract expiring. We have worked closely over a number of months with Steve and his representative on this, and he will leave the club on great terms.
“Eski leaves Middlesex with many good friends and memories, and I’m sure I speak on behalf of everyone involved in Middlesex Cricket, in saying that we wish Eski all the best of luck and thank him for all he has done for the Club in his time at Lord’s.”
On leaving Middlesex to join Leicestershire, Stephen Eskinazi himself commented:
“Middlesex County Cricket Club has been my family for over 12 years and I can’t do justice in a few words what the club means to me.
“To be able to represent, lead and win silverware for one of the most iconic domestic teams in world cricket has been the honour and privilege of my career.
“I am extremely grateful for the Club, particularly Angus Fraser, for giving me my first opportunity in the professional game and I hope that in some small way that I have contributed positively to the story of the Club.
“As I leave to continue to challenge myself on and off the field, I hope that Lord’s is always a place that I can come back to and reflect on a huge part of my journey, from championship wins, to lifelong friends made.
“I wish the Club all the very best moving forward and I know that the success that the organisation deserves is just around the corner.”
