Nathan McAndrew: Warwickshire sign Australian fast bowler on red-ball deal

Nathan McAndrew has only played 11 first-class matches - but he took 27 wickets this winter in eight Sheffield Shield games for South Australia

Warwickshire have signed Australian fast bowler Nathan McAndrew as their overseas red-ball player for 2022.

The county champions see McAndrew, 28, who is also useful with the bat, as a natural replacement for Tim Bresnan.

"With the retirement of Tim Bresnan, securing a strong bowling all-rounder in Nathan is exactly what we need to balance our attack," said Warwickshire director of cricket Paul Farbrace.

"We believe that he could thrive in English conditions."

McAndrew comes on the recommendation of new bowling coach Matt Mason, who is due to link up with the Bears once his Sheffield Shield commitments with Western Australia have come to an end this weekend following their final against Victoria.

"Coming over to England to play Championship cricket is something any cricketers around the world aspire to," said McAndrew.

McAndrew 'recognises county cricket platform'

McAndrew had not played first-class cricket in more than five years prior to his move to South Australia, having previously only played three red-ball games in New Zealand for Auckland, where he was a team-mate for Bears old boy Colin de Grandhomme.

But he had made two List A appearances for his native New South Wales, as well as playing for Sydney Thunder in the Big Bash - and also done well for South Australia this winter, finishing second in the list of wicket-takers, with 27 in eight matches and also making 227 runs.

"We've looked closely at Nathan over the Australian summer," Farbrace said. "He's had a good first season with South Australia. He recognises the platform that playing county cricket can give him in getting recognised by the Australian selectors."

McAndrew will miss next week's season opener against Surrey. He is scheduled to make his Bears debut in the second game of the season, at home to Essex, starting on 21 April.

He is also contracted to deputise for either Carlos Brathwaite or Paul Stirling as an overseas player in the T20 Blast, if required.

Overseas Bears in 2021

The Bears had South African Pieter Malan as their Championship overseas player in 2021.

He only played six matches, having initially been delayed by visa issues as the height of the worldwide travel measures caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

India Test batsman Hanuma Vihari covered for three games but struggled with the cold early season conditions.

And the Bears managed without any overseas player at all when they resumed for the final month of the Championship season - and swept to their first title in nine years.