Stuart Poynter, the Ireland wicketkeeper, signed a two-year contract with Durham in 2014. A former MCC Young Cricketer, at 23 he followed in the footsteps of Michael Richardson, another budding Durham batsman-keeper in making the move to the North East from the MCC..

Poynter has represented Middlesex and Warwickshire in first-class cricket, although it was his 172 against Durham 2nd XI in the 2nd XI Championship for the MCC Young Cricketers that really caught the eye.

Poynter then joined up with the Durham 2nd XI for the rest of the 2013 summer. After some impressive displays with the bat, including a hundred against Leicestershire 2nd XI, he was offered his full-time deal.

The nephew of Deryck Vincent, the former Ireland wicketkeeper, Poynter is a bustling wicketkeeper-batsman in the mode of Mark Boucher. He lists Jack Russell among his idols. His older brother, Andrew, also played for Ireland at Under-19 level. A gifted allround sportsman he had hockey trials for South of England but decided to concentrate on cricket.

ESPNcricinfo staff