Reece Topley: Surrey sign England left-arm seamer on two-year white-ball deal

Reece Topley was Sussex's leading wicket-taker in the T20 Blast this summer

Reece Topley has joined Surrey on a white-ball deal after leaving Sussex.

The 25-year-old England left-arm seamer will also be considered for Surrey's County Championship matches.

Topley, who has signed a two-year deal, was last weekend drafted by the Oval Invincibles to play in the new 100-ball competition The Hundred next summer.

After reviving his injury-hit career with Sussex this summer, he rejected a "long-term contract offer" to stay at Hove earlier this month.

Former Hampshire and Essex bowler Topley enjoyed an excellent T20 Blast campaign, taking 17 wickets to help Sussex top the South Group, as well as playing two Championship matches in September.

"The set-up at Surrey is renowned for being excellent," Topley said. "I can't wait to work with the players and coaches and aim to win some silverware."

Topley played 10 one-day internationals and six Twenty20 matches for England in 2015-16 before suffering multiple stress fractures of the back that threatened to end his career.

"Being able to add an international bowler of Reece's ability is a massive boost to the squad," Surrey director of cricket Alec Stewart said.

"We look forward to seeing all his skills on view next season and beyond."

Six new players in a week

Topley is the fourth off-season addition to Surrey's seamer pool, following the arrivals of Michael Neser and England under-19 internationals Nick Kimber and James Taylor.

Kimber joins having been on the books of Nottinghamshire, while fellow 18-year-old Taylor signs following his departure from Derbyshire.

Australian Neser will be the club's overseas player for the first half of the 2020 season, and joins a rank of fast bowlers that also include Gus Atkinson, Jordan Clark, Matt Dunn, Conor McKerr, Nico Reifer and internationals Rikki Clarke, Jade Dernbach, Stuart Meaker, Liam Plunkett, Morne Morkel and Sam and Tom Curran.

Meanwhile the club have also secured Pakistan leg-spinner Shadab Khan and Australia batsman D'Arcy Short as overseas players for the T20 Blast.