Steve Smith will get Australian company during his pre-Ashes stint at English county side Sussex in the shape of Sydney Thunder pace-bowling allrounder Nathan McAndrew.
The 29-year-old McAndrew will play from April until July in both the County Championship and the Blast, the English game's premier T20 tournament.
The deal means he'll link up at the south-coast county with Smith, who has been signed to play three county championship matches for Sussex in May as he seeks to acclimatise for the Ashes.
McAndrew has been snapped up by Paul Farbrace, the former England assistant coach who had previously signed the Wollongong player when he was sporting director at Warwickshire but who moved to Sussex in December as head coach.
McAndrew impressed Farbrace at Warwickshire, taking 20 wickets at 37.85 apiece and scoring 278 at 34.75, including two fifties.
"I can't wait to get to England to play with Sussex," said McAndrew, who took 13 wickets in the group stages for Thunder during the BBL season to help get them into the play-offs.
"I thoroughly enjoyed my time in county cricket last year and I am looking forward to taking the next step in my career playing red and white-ball cricket this season. I look forward to teaming back up with Paul Farbrace and contributing to Sussex's success."
Sussex bowling coach James Kirtley said: "Nathan is more than a capable batter, but it will be his bowling that will excite us. In T20 cricket he regularly bowls the pressure overs which takes courage and skill.
"For our T20 team to know we have someone who can be relied upon in these situations is very comforting.
"In four-day cricket he runs in all day. His experience in England last year will pay dividends as his performances got better and better."
Smith won't be the only world-class luminary McAndrew will be playing alongside, as Sussex have also retained India batter Cheteshwar Pujara for a second season in Division Two of the county championship while Pakistan allrounder Shadab Khan will be playing in the Blast for them.
