Nottinghamshire sign Mitchell Hay as Kyle Verreynne replacement

New Zealand’s Mitchell Hay has been confirmed as a Nottinghamshire signing for the closing stretch of the 2026 County Championship season, stepping in two days after Kyle Verreynne was recalled by Cricket South Africa on September 6.

Nottinghamshire currently sit second in the Division One table, four points behind leaders Somerset, with three Championship fixtures still to play. The club is chasing a title defence and moved swiftly to fill the gap left by Verreynne’s departure.

“I’m really proud to sign for Nottinghamshire and I can’t wait to get over to England and experience both the County Championship and Trent Bridge. It’s a really high-quality competition and I know how historic Trent Bridge is too, so the idea of being able to call it home, and at the business end of the season too, is thrilling. There have been so many quality New Zealanders who have played for Nottinghamshire; the likes of Sir Richard Hadlee, Stephen Fleming, Chris Cairns, Andre Adams.I’m so excited to become the latest in that line and with the defence of the Championship title still very much going, I can’t wait to meet the boys and contribute to that,” Hay said in an offical club statement.

Why did Kyle Verreynne leave Nottinghamshire?

Verreynne’s exit was driven entirely by national duty. Cricket South Africa recalled him on September 6, 2026, bringing his county stint to a close before Nottinghamshire’s season had finished. There was no suggestion of any difficulty at club level.

During his 10 Championship appearances for Notts in 2026, Verreynne scored 368 runs and contributed 32 catches and a stumping behind the wicket. His consistency with both bat and gloves made the recall particularly difficult to absorb at such a critical point in the campaign. The club confirmed his replacement within days of the recall being announced.

Who is Mitchell Hay and what does he bring to Notts?

Hay has developed his game with Canterbury across a first-class career that has produced 2,167 runs at an average of 45.14. He has represented New Zealand on 23 occasions at international level, with one Test cap to his name, earned on December 10, 2025 against West Indies.

His record in domestic cricket suggests he is comfortable in the longer format, which is precisely what Nottinghamshire require across three high-stakes Championship matches. Moores’ assessment of Hay as a ‘hugely exciting’ addition reflects the club’s confidence that the New Zealander can contribute meaningfully in the title race. Nottinghamshire will be counting on him to perform from the outset as they look to close the four-point gap on Somerset.

“As disappointing as it is to lose Kyle for the last three games, to get someone with the quality that Mitch has is hugely exciting. He is a mature keeper with the ability to bat in the top six, which fits the role we need coming into the business end of the season. He comes across as someone who knows his game and is calm and confident about how he goes about his cricket. Like always, we’re looking forward to getting him involved and settled into the squad,” head coach Peter Moores said in the statement.