Glenn Phillips agrees Gloucestershire return for T20 Blast

Glenn Phillips will return to Gloucestershire for the T20 Blast this summer after finishing last season as the tournament's second-highest run-scorer.

Phillips, the New Zealand middle-order batter, scored exactly 500 runs in his 12 appearances in the Blast last year, scoring his runs at a strike rate of 163.39 and finishing second on the run charts behind Leicestershire's Australian wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis.

"I really enjoyed my time at Glos last year and I am very glad to be returning this season," Phillips said. "It's going to be an exciting year and I can't wait to get it underway."

Gloucestershire faded after a bright start in last year's Blast, losing four of their last five group games to miss out on the quarter-finals by a point. Their 2022 campaign starts on May 26 and Phillips' availability for their opening games will depend on whether his IPL franchise Sunrisers Hyderabad qualify for the knockout stages.

Gloucestershire will also be able to call upon Naseem Shah as an overseas player in the Blast, though he may leave early if selected for Pakistan's ODI squad against West Indies, while Marcus Harris has expressed an ambition to be selected for their T20 side. Counties are allowed to register up to three overseas players simultaneously, though can only field two in their playing XI in any match.

"Glenn is a huge talent and was one of the best players in the Vitality Blast last year, so we're delighted to have him back again this season," Dale Benkenstein, Gloucestershire's head coach, said.

"We have ambitions of competing for titles and that includes the T20 Vitality Blast. Glenn offers us a fantastic option at the top of the order. His addition, with his pedigree and experience, to an already strong white-ball side gives us a great chance of going toe-to-toe with every opposition we come up against."