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London [UK], April 23 (ANI): Kent Cricket on Tuesday announced the signing of Australia quick Xavier Bartlett for the first eight matches of the 2024 Vitality Blast.

“This month, the 25-year-old was named as Brisbane Heat’s Player of the Tournament in BBL|13, a tournament that the Gabba-based franchise won. Bartlett finished as the tournament’s top wicket-taker, taking 20 wickets at an average of only 14.70,” Kent Cricket said in an official statement.

He received his Australia T20I debut cap on 13 February from star all-rounder Marcus Stoinis. He managed to bag wickets of both West Indies openers, Johnson Charles and Kyle Mayers, in his first innings with the ball as an Australia International T20 cricketer.

Other overseas stars, Bartlett’s compatriot Wes Agar and South African bowling all-rounder Beyers Swanepoel, will also both be available for Kent in the Vitality Blast. Tournament rules allow three overseas players in a side’s squad, with two permitted in a Playing XI.

“We’ve been working extremely hard with Cricket Australia to ensure that Xavier can join us in some capacity this season, and we’re really pleased to have secured his services for eight matches of our T20 campaign,” Kent’s Director of Cricket, Simon Cook, said in an official statement by the club.

“He is hot property at the moment and fully deserves his new central contract with Australia. I know that Spitfires supporters around the world will be extremely excited that the BBL’s top wicket-taker this Winter will be pulling on a Kent shirt this June,” he added. (ANI)