Leicestershire add New Zealand allrounder in push for Blast quarter-final place

Jimmy Neesham, who featured twice during his country's disappointing T20 World Cup campaign, follows Ajinkya Rahane in agreeing a move to Grace Road

Leicestershire have signed a second overseas player in as many days, with Jimmy Neesham brought in for the second half of the T20 Blast.

The New Zealand allrounder, who featured twice during his country's disappointing T20 World Cup campaign, follows Ajinkya Rahane in agreeing a move to Grace Road.

While Rahane is set to join up with Leicestershire in mid-July, in time for the One-Day Cup and the County Championship run-in, Neesham arrives for six T20 Blast matches.

He replaces Wiaan Mulder, who has a Major League Cricket deal. He is then expected to be part of South Africa's squad to tour West Indies, which is where Rahane comes in.

Leicestershire sit third in the North Group, with Neesham's addition for the remainder of the group stage aimed at clinching a berth in the knockout rounds, set to be played in September.

^{Neesham played in the Blast for Northamptonshire in 2022 (Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)}

Neesham, who has previously played county cricket for Derbyshire, Kent, Essex and Northamptonshire, said: "It'll be fun to play at Uptonsteel County Ground again. The fans are really passionate, it's a lively atmosphere I've experienced first-hand. I'm looking forward to having them on my side this time."

Leicestershire's director of cricket, Claude Henderson, described the allrounder as "a vastly experienced T20 star who can win games for Leicestershire with both bat and ball".

Henderson added: "He brings immense international pedigree and adds perfect balance to our side at a crucial point of our campaign. We look forward to watching Jimmy help win games for the Foxes."

In 2022, Neesham was part of a fractious Blast encounter between Leicestershire and Northamptonshire; Arron Lilley's confrontation with the New Zealander after a late runout caused one of two fixed penalties incurred by the county in the same game, which led to a two-point deduction that cost them a shot at a quarter-final place.

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