Jayawardene switches to Blast after IPL snub

Having been overlooked for an IPL deal this year, Mahela Jayawardene has found some solace with a deal to play in the NatWest T20 Blast for Sussex.

His signing means the T20 Blast will be sprinkled with a little more world class but his availability for just seven of the 14 group matches again highlights the difficulty of attracting overseas talent to the protracted competition.

The T20 Blast is overlapped by the IPL for a week during May and the Carribean Premier League, which begins on June 21 and clashes with five Friday nights of the T20 Blast.

Jayawardene did not get bought in the IPL auction but has signed a deal with Jamaica Tallawahs. His involvement in the CPL means he is only available for Sussex from the start of the T20 Blast on May 15 until June 19.

"We were watching players who didn't get bid for in the IPL auction but trying to pick someone up is very very difficult with our competition played our such a long period," Mark Robinson, Sussex managing director of cricket, told ESPNcricinfo. "We have the IPL at the start of our summer and the CPL at the end of the Blast.

"Twenty20 is an important competition to the club with the ability to attract crowds and create extra revenue, which is important. Bringing in hired help is important as supporters want to see our ambition."

Jayawardene, 37 and a legend of world cricket, averages 31.76 from 55 international T20s at a strike-rate of 133.18. He was part of the Sri Lankan side that won the World T20 in 2014.

"I am really exciting about basing myself down at Hove and playing for Sussex during the first half of the summer," Jayawardene said. "Sussex is a great club with a proud history and I want to help them win the NatWest T20 Blast this year."

Sussex have solid pedigree in the shortest format, reaching the semi-finals in 2007 and 2012 and winning the tournament in 2009. But they have failed to qualify from the group stage in the last two seasons.