Dwayne Smith has been signed on for the New South Wales Blues for Australia’s inter-state Twenty20 series in January, making the all-rounder unavailable for Barbados until at least the fourth round of the forthcoming regional first-class season.
Smith said he was “really excited” to join the Blues, winners of the inaugural Champions League in India in October.
“They have an amazing squad which is obviously full of confidence after winning the Champions League,” he told the Blues website. “I look forward to working with (coach) Matthew Mott and the whole squad to help ensure success for NSW in their Twenty20 campaign this summer.”
The website said he would join the squad just prior to the tournament.
Smith, who has had 10 Tests, 71 ODIs and five Twenty20 Internationals for the West Indies, played Twenty20 cricket for English county Sussex and Indian Premier League (IPL) teams Mumbai Indians and Deccan Chargers in the past two years.
He is the fourth West Indian to join state teams for the Australian tournament. Known as the ‘Big Bash’, it runs from December 28 to January 23 and clashes with the first three rounds of the West Indies first-class itinerary that starts on January 8.
Chris Gayle will play for the Western Australia Warriors, Dwayne Bravo for the Victoria Bushrangers and Kieron Pollard for the South Australia Redbacks.
The final of Australia’s Twenty20 is scheduled for January 23, giving the West Indians just enough time to return for the fourth round of the regional tournament January 29-February 1.
Chief executive David Gilbert said New South Wales were “delighted” with Smith’s signing.
“Dwayne is a dynamic player and will provide us with power hitting in the middle order as well as a vital bowling option with his deceptive medium-pacers,” he said. “He is also a superb fielder and his experience in this form of the game will be a big plus for our squad.”