Paul Stirling: Birmingham Bears sign Ireland batter for T20 Blast
- Published
Paul Stirling and new Bears team-mate Chris Benjamin were on opposite sides in last summer's inaugural Southern Brave-Birmingham Phoenix Men's Hundred final
Birmingham Bears have signed big-hitting Ireland batter Paul Stirling for this summer's T20 Blast.
The 31-year-old former Middlesex and Northants player becomes the Bears' second T20 overseas signing for 2022, alongside captain Carlos Brathwaite.
Along with new addition Alex Davies and spinner Jake Lintott, the Bears now have three of last year's Hundred-winning Southern Braves side on board.
Bears boss Paul Farbrace said: "Paul could be a transformational signing."
The Warwickshire director of cricket added: "With a new look opening pair of Paul Stirling and Alex Davies, it's an incredibly exciting line-up that Carlos Brathwaite is going to be captaining in this year's Blast.
"Paul is one of the most powerful openers in the T20 game and has lots of experience on the biggest stage, having played in World Cups and global franchise tournaments."
Stirling was man of the match in the inaugural Hundred final at Lord's last August, hitting 61 off 36 balls to help Southern Brave beat Birmingham Phoenix.
'Incredibly excited'
He has remained busy over the winter months, playing five one-day internationals for Ireland and 19 T20s, squeezed in around six appearances for Islamabad United, opening the batting alongside Alex Hales in the Pakistan Super League.
Warwickshire, red ball champions last summer, are looking for their first T20 silverware since winning the Blast in 2014 - the year they rebranded their T20 side as the Birmingham Bears.
If they were to make Finals Day on home soil at Edgbaston on the new mid-summer date of 16 July, Stirling's availability would be subject to Cricket Ireland clearance - as the Irish have a series planned against New Zealand.
As things stand, he is only available for the Bears' opening 12 games of the tournament.
"I'm incredibly excited to join up with the Bears for this year's Blast," said Stirling, who has hit two tons in his total of 6,952 runs in T20 cricket, at a strike rate of 141.67.
"I'm also relishing making Edgbaston my home. It's one of the top grounds in the world."