Australian seamer O'Neill set for Notts stints

While Fergus O'Neill is yet to earn an international cap for Australia, he has featured for Australia A

Australian seam bowler Fergus O'Neill will return to Nottinghamshire for two spells over the next two years.

The 24-year-old has committed to short-term stints running from April to June in both the 2026 and 2027 campaigns.

It follows on from the short but hugely influential four-match spell O'Neill had at Trent Bridge last season that helped set Nottinghamshire up for their County Championship title win.

He claimed 21 wickets - including two five-wicket hauls - at an average of just 17.90.

Notts were unbeaten in his month-long stay, in which he helped deliver two victories.

"Success is what I play for so for as long as I'm a part of Nottinghamshire, I'll be putting my best foot forward for us to win another Championship title," O'Neill told the club website.

While last season was the uncapped Australian's first experience of county cricket, he arrived in England with a big reputation after the he won the Sheffield Shield Player of the Season award for 2024-25 after taking 38 wickets in the competition.

A season earlier, he was named the Bradman Young Cricketer of the Year at the Australian Cricket Awards.

Nottinghamshire head coach Peter Moores said O'Neill's stay at Trent Bridge last season, while only brief, was "a real catalyst" for the the club going on to win its first County Championship title for 15 years.

"His energy and excitement to play were infectious, as was belief in his own ability," Moores said.

"That belief spread into everyone else in the team.

"Every now and then, you seem to sign a player who fits into the team perfectly and Fergus was that man last year."