Kyle Jamieson joins Surrey for T20 Blast and County Championship matches

New Zealand all-rounder Kyle Jamieson has joined the Surrey County Cricket Club for the group stage of the ongoing T20 Blast. He will also play two matches for the side in the County Championship this year.

Jamieson will join the team after the ICC World Test Championship final against India. He will be available for the game against Middlesex on June 25 and will be with the side till the final group game, Surrey announced on June 10 (Thursday).

🤝 We're delighted to announce the signing of New Zealand fast bowler Kyle Jamieson.He will be available for selection against Middlesex in the Vitality Blast match at The Kia Oval on 25th June and will remain with the squad until the final group game.

— Surrey Cricket (@surreycricket) June 10, 2021

The director of Surrey, Alec Stewart, is keen to have Kyle Jamieson on board for the upcoming season.

"Kyle is a top-quality cricketer and we very much look forward to him joining us when his commitments with New Zealand have finished," said Stewart.

Kyle Jamieson comes in as a replacement for Sean Abbott, who was forced to return to Australia after injuring his hamstring in the club's first match in the tournament. After impressing on his international debut against India in 2020, the 26-year-old is set for his first experience in English domestic cricket.

Playing county cricket is something I have always wanted: Kyle Jamieson

Jamieson will also make his debut in the County Championship. He will be available for the final two games of the group stage against Hampshire in Southampton from July 4-7 and Somerset at the Kia Oval from July 11-14.

Best bowling averages for quicks in the WTC (min 10 innings) ⬇️🇳🇿 Kyle Jamieson: 13.27🇮🇳 Ishant Sharma: 17.36🇮🇳 Umesh Yadav: 18.55🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 James Anderson: 19.51🇮🇳 Mohammed Shami: 19.77Is India's fast bowling crop the best in the world currently? pic.twitter.com/BWqSiynPxt

— Wisden India (@WisdenIndia) June 7, 2021

Kyle Jamieson expressed his excitement on joining Surrey and experiencing both T20 and first-class cricket in England. The Kiwi is looking to learn and grow as a player when he links up with the English side.

"Originally, I didn't think this opportunity would be possible with the schedule this year. But with how things have unfolded, it's great to be able to join Surrey and experience both T20 and first-class cricket. Playing county cricket is something I've always wanted to do in my career, so to have the chance to do so now is awesome," said Kyle Jamieson.

"I've heard a lot of great things about county cricket, particularly T20 Blast nights at the Kia Oval. I can't wait to take up the opportunity with Surrey to continue to learn and grow whilst trying my best to contribute to the teams' success," added Kyle Jamieson.