Gloucestershire County Cricket Club have tied down fast bowler James Hayes on a two-year contract, with the 25-year-old making his move from Nottinghamshire permanent as of September 25, 2026. Hayes had spent two separate loan periods at the Bristol County Ground during the 2026 season before both parties agreed to a full-time arrangement
Hayes, who was born in Sussex and developed his cricket in Taunton, was originally identified by former Nottinghamshire seamer Ben Phillips. His path to Bristol came through a standout summer that spanned three competitions across two counties.
“I’ve really enjoyed my time in Bristol over the two loan spells, and the fans and staff made it a brilliant place to be. I want to win games of cricket and the club have made it really clear they want to do the same, so to be part of that and help bring success is something I’m looking forward to,” Hayes said as quoted by Stroud News.
How did Hayes perform across his two loan spells at Gloucestershire?
Hayes first linked up with Gloucestershire in July 2026, stepping into senior T20 cricket for the first time at county level. Across four Vitality Blast appearances, he took six wickets, and his contributions were part of a campaign that saw Gloucestershire advance to the quarter-finals, with victories over Worcestershire and Surrey among the highlights.
He returned to Bristol in August 2026 for a second loan stint, this time covering the closing stages of the Rothesay County Championship campaign. The back-to-back spells gave Hayes consistent exposure to first-class and white-ball cricket at a senior level and allowed the Gloucestershire coaching staff to assess him across formats.
“James has come down, been around our group and fitted in really well. He looks ready to play first-team cricket, so we’re really excited about the possibility of helping James develop into a really good, first-class cricketer,” Jon Lewis, director of cricket at Gloucestershire, said.
What did Hayes achieve with Nottinghamshire before joining Gloucestershire?
Before his loan moves to Bristol, Hayes had already made a mark with Nottinghamshire in the Metro Bank One Day Cup earlier in the 2026 summer. Leading the Notts Outlaws’ seam attack, he claimed 12 wickets as the side progressed to the semi-finals of the competition, underlining his ability to perform in 50-over cricket at a competitive level.
That form across formats, combined with his seamless integration into the Gloucestershire dressing room during both loan spells, made the permanent deal a straightforward decision for the county. Hayes now heads into his first full season at the Bristol County Ground with experience across all three formats already behind him.
