Lancashire have announced the signing of Australian spinner Chris Green for the upcoming Vitality Blast, following Cricket Australia’s decision to revoke clearance for Nathan Lyon to play white-ball cricket during his stint in England.
The 30-year-old Green, known for his expertise in the T20 format, has made a name for himself as a new-ball specialist, although he made his first-class debut in 2022 and has represented New South Wales in the last two Sheffield Shield seasons. With a wealth of T20 experience worldwide, including stints in the Big Bash League, Caribbean Premier League, and previous appearances in the Blast for Birmingham Bears and Middlesex, Green brings invaluable experience to the Lancashire squad.
Despite making his T20I debut for Australia in December, Green is not expected to feature in their T20 World Cup plans.
“Following the news of Nathan’s unavailability for our T20 campaign, Dale [Benkenstein] and I were keen to secure a replacement with full availability across both group stage blocks, which we believe is crucial for team continuity,” said Mark Chilton, Lancashire’s director of cricket performance. “Chris’s availability, combined with his skillset as a spinner adept at all phases of the game and his ability to contribute with the bat towards the end of an innings, made him an attractive option.”
Chilton further emphasized Green’s experience as a valuable asset, highlighting his captaincy role for Sydney Thunder in the BBL and the potential for Lancashire to field a young T20 side this year.
With 164 wickets across 200 T20 games at an economy of 7.03, Green’s prowess in the format is undeniable. Despite a disappointing BBL campaign as Thunder’s captain, where the team finished bottom with just one win in ten matches, Green remains optimistic about his prospects with Lancashire.
“I am really pleased to be joining Lancashire for this year’s Vitality Blast and can’t wait to meet up with my new teammates next month,” Green said. “It’s a really strong squad, and after speaking with Mark Chilton and Dale Benkenstein, I am really excited about what we can achieve together this summer.”
Green, who has enjoyed previous experiences of playing in the Blast in England, expressed his eagerness to take the field at Emirates Old Trafford for the first time, donning the Lancashire colors.
