Dan Christian returns to Notts Outlaws for 2022 T20 Blast

The 38-year-old Australia international has represented Nottinghamshire in the competition since 2015, only missing the 2021 season due to international duty, and captained the Outlaws to the title in 2017 and 2020

Dan Christian will return to Trent Bridge to captain Notts Outlaws in the 2022 T20 Blast.

The 38-year-old Australia international has represented Nottinghamshire in the competition since 2015, only missing the 2021 season due to international duty.

Under his leadership, the club reached Finals Day four times in five years (2016-20) and lifted the trophy in 2017 and 2020.

In total, the veteran allrounder has chalked up 1,933 runs in 110 appearances in the Blast, 1,519 of which have come for the Outlaws at an average of 35.32. He also has 44 T20 wickets for the club and 67 in the competition overall.

In his absence in 2021, Nottinghamshire remained the dominant force in the North Group, topping the table by six points, before suffering an agonising two-run defeat at the hands of Hampshire Hawks in the quarter-finals.

Alex Hales (482 runs), Joe Clarke (408), Ben Duckett (383) and Samit Patel (309) all shone with the bat for the Outlaws last season while Calvin Harrison (20 wickets), Matt Carter (18) and Jake Ball (18) impressed with the ball.

However, despite not noticeably struggling in the absence of their talismanic skipper, Christian’s return to the East Midlands is a huge boost to Nottinghamshire’s title hopes.

^{Christian skippered Notts Outlaws to Blast glory in 2020 [Alex Davidson/Getty Images]}

An experienced finisher with a career strike rate of 147.44 in the competition, he will add further depth alongside Patel and Steven Mullaney in the middle order while also plugging the hole left by the now-retired Peter Trego, who stepped in with a handy 125 runs (123.76 strike rate) in 2021.

He’s also an additional bowling option at any stage of the innings, but perhaps his biggest asset is his 'big-game' persona.

The Australian has featured in 14 T20 finals across the franchise circuit, lifting nine titles, and won the player of the match award in both Nottinghamshire’s semi-final and final matches during the 2020 triumph.

Commenting on his return to the club, Christian said: "I’ve had great times in Nottingham over a number of years. We’ve seen some great improvements in individuals throughout that time, won a couple of comps, and Notts is a club that’s overall fantastic to be part of.

"It’s really exciting to be returning to a place where I’ve made so many great memories on and off the field, and I'm looking forward to playing in front of packed houses at Trent Bridge again too.

"My philosophy will remain the same for 2022 - to back our ability and be positive. The ultimate aim is to get our hands back on that trophy in July."

Head coach Peter Moores added: "Dan’s ability, desire and passion have made him a key part of our club since his arrival in 2015, and we can’t wait to have him back with us. He’s a match-winner in his own right, and a terrific leader and example to everyone in our dressing room.

"It was great to see other players step up with bat and ball in Dan’s absence last season, and the team was really well led by Steven Mullaney.

"To now have the chance to re-add a player of Dan’s presence and quality to that group is exciting and, come the start of the Blast in late-May, we’ll be raring to go and confident of a successful campaign."