Ajeet Singh Dale will swap Bristol for Manchester, Matt Milnes is packing for a return to Canterbury, and Matthew Montgomery is crossing the East Midlands to Derby in a busy week of county comings-and-goings.
Lancashire have secured Singh Dale, 25, on a three-year deal starting this winter. The England Lions quick, one of the faster bowlers on the circuit, had attracted interest from several clubs once it became clear he would not extend at Gloucestershire, whom he joined from Hampshire in 2022. Four seasons at Bristol brought 81 first-class wickets at 38.24 and back-to-back Lions selections in 2024 and 2025.
Lancashire’s director of cricket performance, Mark Chilton, said the club were buying both pace and potential. “An exciting young fast bowler with genuine pace and a real hunger to keep on developing and improving his game,” he noted, adding that the Red Rose attack wanted extra depth for next summer’s Championship push.
Singh Dale shares the optimism. “I’m really excited to be joining Lancashire and can’t wait to get started with the club in November. Lancashire has an exceptionally strong squad, which can compete across all formats, and I’m looking forward to pushing myself in a new environment while contributing towards success for this great club. I have heard great things about the set-up and facilities at Emirates Old Trafford and I’m confident it’s the right place for me to take the next step in my career with the Red Rose.”
While Lancashire bolster, Kent are welcoming back a familiar face. Milnes, now 31, is returning to the south-east on a three-year contract after three largely frustrating, injury-blighted seasons at Yorkshire. A run of back problems restricted him to only five Championship appearances, although his maiden Yorkshire five-for against Sussex at Scarborough this week hinted at what might have been and helped the club’s late-season survival bid.
A member of Kent’s 2021 T20 Blast-winning side, Milnes said geography and a fresh project under Adam Hollioake swayed him. “I’m excited to come back to Kent and join this new project under Adam Hollioake,” he said. During his first stint at Canterbury he took 126 first-class wickets at 27.15 and 37 in T20 cricket.
Kent’s director of cricket, Simon Cook, welcomed the experience. “We’re delighted that Milnesy has chosen to come back to Kent. He was an extremely big part of our bowling attack during our sustained periods of success in his first time here, and he is an extremely talented bowler in both red- and white-ball cricket. As we plan for the future in our ethos of producing Kent talent, his experience will also be a great boost to us, too.”
The final move involves Nottinghamshire batter (and useful off-spinner) Matthew Montgomery, who has agreed a three-year deal with Derbyshire. He will link up immediately on loan for the Metro Bank One-Day Cup, though a clause prevents him facing his parent club. South-African born but holding a German passport, Montgomery debuted for Notts in 2021 and struck the first of two first-class centuries the following summer. Championship opportunities have been limited this year, yet his off-spin has proved handy in the Vitality Blast, where he topped the bowling averages for the Outlaws.
Derbyshire see him as a multi-format option. They have been searching for middle-order stability and a secondary spin option since Luis Reece took on extra new-ball duties. Montgomery, still only 25, ticks both boxes.
Taken together, the three signings underline how counties are already reshaping squads before the season is out. Lancashire add raw pace, Kent regain proven nous, and Derbyshire secure a versatile all-round cricketer—moves that might not dominate headlines but could make a tangible difference when next April rolls around.
