West Indies allrounder added to boost push towards knockout phase
Kyle Mayers, the West Indies batting all-rounder, will play for Birmingham Bears in the last three games of the Vitality Blast group stage.
Mayers, who scored an unbeaten double-century on Test debut in February, played his first T20I in New Zealand last year after impressing for Barbados Tridents in the 2020 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) with 222 runs.
He has played six Tests and two T20Is and earned his maiden ODI cap in the first of three ODIs against Bangladesh at the beginning of this year, going on to play the remainder of that series.
Mayers was lined up as a replacement overseas player by Rajasthan Royals in the 2021 IPL and had arrived in India shortly before the tournament’s postponement.
Kyle Mayers said: “I hope that I can contribute with the bat and ball during these final three important games of the Blast… I’m very proud to join this list of players. Hopefully I can make some important contributions, which secure our path through to the knock-out stages.”
Paul Farbrace, Bears Director of Cricket, said: “Being able to add Kyle, as a hard-hitting batsman and skilful seam bowler, to our squad as we bid for a quarter-final place is great boost. We also recognise how motivated Kyle is by this opportunity to feature in another leading T20 tournament with an ICC T20 World Cup just around the corner.”
Mayers will be available for Friday’s derby at Worcestershire Rapids, followed by the return match at Edgbaston a week later and the final group game at home to Northants Steelbacks on July 18. The Bears sit fifth on the nine-team North Group table, level on 11 points with fourth-placed Durham and six points behind leaders Nottinghamshire. (Cricinfo)