Right-hand bat and occasional off-spinner Jake Libby joined Worcestershire on a 3-year contract in November 2019 after five years on the Notts staff. Born in Plymouth on 3 July 1993, he first appeared for Notts Seconds in July 2014, scoring 225 not out in his second appearance versus Warwick Seconds at Edgbaston. Two months later, he made a spectacular start to life in the county first team, making 108 on his Notts first-class debut v Sussex at Trent Bridge.
A productive winter of grade cricket in Tasmania would follow, although the adventure came at a cost in the form of an anterior cruciate ligament injury and subsequent operation. As a consequence, Libby only appeared twice for Notts in 2015. He bounced back in style in 2016 scoring a ton against Derbyshire, whilst on a productive short loan spell with Northants. Back with Notts, he reeled off a series of promising contributions in the second half of that season, including a terrific first-class best of 144 against Durham at Chester-le-Street. He was an ever-present in the promotion season of 2017 scoring 464 runs, including 109 at Cardiff.
During the 2018 season he was the leading run-scorer for Notts in the Championship with 662 runs and scored 100 not out in the first day/night pink ball game (against Worcestershire) to be played at Trent Bridge, his fourth first class century for Notts. Although mainly seen as a steady batsman in red-ball cricket, Libby came in to the T20 side in 2018, making his debut at Derby batting at number 8 but his promotion to number three by skipper Dan Christian was particularly successful with a career best 58 in the victory at home to Yorkshire. He made his List A debut in 2019 and played in seven Royal London fixtures with a top score of 66 versus Leicester at Trent Bridge, scoring 117 runs in his final season with Notts, Libby appeared in only five Championship fixtures scoring 189 runs @18.90.
A product of Callington Cricket Club of the Cornwall Premier League, Libby's first-class debut came for Cardiff MCCU in April 2014, having already gained experience in Minor Counties cricket with his native county. He played 38 Notts Premier League matches for Hucknall between 2016 and 2019 scoring 2,023 runs and taking 58 wickets @26.
In total Libby made 48 first-class appearances for Notts scoring 2,200 runs @26.83. He totalled 369 runs @33.55 in 20 T20 matches for the Green and Gold.
March 2020
Nottinghamshire First-Class Number: 629