Christian signs up for Outlaws

Notts Outlaws have signed Australian all-rounder Dan Christian for the remainder of the NatWest T20 Blast campaign. Christian fills the void left by Darren Sammy who has departed for the Caribbean Premier League following a four-game stint with the Outlaws.

Christian had only limited success during an unproductive Middlesex campaign last season, but Nottinghamshire's director of cricket Mick Newell he can be a successful substitute for Sammy.

"I keep saying that, particularly with international call-ups and injuries around, we need to be as strong as we can be," he said. "So with an overseas vacancy available to us following Darren's departure to the CPL, and knowing of Dan's availability as we have for some time, it was an easy decision to bring him in.

"He's someone that tends to score his runs quickly and he also provides a very good option with the ball, which you need plenty of in T20 cricket."

Christian, who has 34 caps in white ball cricket for Australia, has amassed 146 career Twenty20 appearances including stints in the Indian Premier League with Deccan Chargers and Royal Challengers Bangalore. On English shores, he was a Friends Life T20 winner with Hampshire in 2010.

He averages 20.11 with the bat, at a strike-rate of 128.53 that includes a century - 129 off 57 balls for Middlesex against Kent last season - and two fifties. His average with the bat is 27.72 with the ball at an economy rate of 8.16 runs per over.

"Dan is a very aggressive and entertaining batsman to add to our line-up and also one that has lots of know-how in how to read the game and pace an innings," added Newell.

"He also has lots of experience, particularly in Twenty20, and I know he's very keen to pass that onto our young players which is important. Darren Sammy certainly did that and I'm sure Dan Christian will do likewise."