Glenn Maxwell: Australia all-rounder is signed by Birmingham Bears for the 2023 T20 Blast
Australia all-rounder Glenn Maxwell has joined the Birmingham Bears for the 2023 T20 Blast.
The 34-year-old Maxwell has won two World Cups, helping Australia capture the 50-over title in 2015 and the T20 title six years later.
When the Indian Premier League season concludes in May, he will join the Bears.
We are extremely excited to have a player of this kind, Bears first-team coach Mark Robinson told BBC Radio WM.
We’re thrilled to have someone with his international renown who can also mentor our younger players and advance the squad.
He “takes no backward steps,” he is “completely full-on, a competitor, and with the bat, he wins matches.”
Warwickshire reports an operating profit of £4.9 million for 2022.
Big-hitter Maxwell is Bears’ second foreign acquisition for the Blast after Pakistani fast bowler Hasan Ali, who has previously played for Hampshire, Surrey, Yorkshire, and most recently Lancashire in 2019; both players have committed to spending their summers at Edgbaston.
The Bears, who advanced to the quarterfinals of the league last year and established a record total of 261-2 during the group stages, have also signed Worcestershire’s Ed Barnard and England all-rounder Moeen Ali during the offseason.
After breaking his leg in an accident at a friend’s birthday party in November, Maxwell, who will represent Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL for a third straight season, is almost ready to play again.
He holds the record for the highest Big Bash score with 154 off 64 balls for Melbourne Stars in January 2022. He has played 355 T20 innings with an average of 27.79 and strike rate of 151.07.
Robinson told the Bears’ website, “It’s a great signing, he’s one of the quickest scorers in international cricket, and I’m sure he’ll be a favorite with Bears fans.”
He is the ideal T20 batter for us since he is both a powerful hitter with a wide variety of shots that make it difficult for rival teams to build fields and an excellent fielder.
