Australia seamer Andrew Tye joins Northamptonshire for T20 Blast in 2023

Northampton [UK], February 8 (ANI): Australia seamer Andrew Tye has signed for Northamptonshire County Cricket Club (NCCC) for the 2023 T20 Blast, the club announced on Wednesday.
The quick bowler brings the experience of more than 200 T20 matches and is one of the Big Bash League's premier bowlers, holding the second-highest wicket tally in the competition's history.
"I'm very excited to be joining Northamptonshire for the Blast. They're a good team that's had success in the competition in the past so I'll be hoping that we can recreate that success this year," Tye said in an official statement released by NCCC.
Tye recently became the quickest to reach 300 career wickets in T20 cricket worldwide and was named in the Official BBL Team of the Tournament in each of the last two seasons. Steelbacks skipper Josh Cobb said Tye was a key target from the start.
"AJ's got a fantastic record in T20 cricket and we were looking for someone to come in and bring real experience to the attack, someone that can bowl the tough overs in the latter part of the innings and be a banker for us at the death," Steelbacks skipper Josh Cobb said.
Head coach John Sadler echoed Cobb's thoughts and highlighted the role Tye played in balancing the Steelbacks squad.
"To get AJ on board is really pleasing, he's an amazing addition and gives our team a great balance. His experience and skill set is exactly what we needed and he knows what's required to win games and win competitions too. He'll be a super asset for us this season," Sadler said.
The four-time BBL winner joins the Steelbacks for the entirety of the competition alongside fellow Australian Chris Lynn and already holds connections to the Northamptonshire dressing room, having previously played alongside bowling coach Chris Liddle.
"I'm looking forward to joining Lynny, it's always better to have him on your team than to try playing against him. I'm excited to work with John Sadler too, I've heard really good things about him plus Chris Liddle and I go back to his playing days at Glos so I'm excited to see him and work together again," Tye said.
Cobb was excited by the extra experience Tye adds to the Steelbacks squad alongside the return of David Willey who begins a new four-year contract this year.
"Willo [David Willey] coming back is a great addition for us as an all-rounder, then we've got Lynny [Chris Lynn] at the top of the order and AJ now with the ball. It gives us a real solid core of world class experience throughout the side. We know we fell away last year but we played some excellent cricket in the tournament, so hopefully with these two coming in alongside Willo we can push and go one step further this summer," Cobb added. (ANI)