Mitchell Santner: Worcestershire signs New Zealand spinner for third time

30-year-old all-rounder becomes County Blast's second signing for 2023 following pre-Christmas capture of fellow Kiwi from Santner, Michael Bracewell.

Santner will join Worcestershire for the third time.

He first arrived as a T20 signer in 2016, only to fracture his finger, but then returned the following summer.

After making just one county championship and one T20 appearance before dropping back down in 2016, he played the full T20 season in 2017. But he also had to withdraw from a planned move to Derbyshire in 2018 due to a knee injury.

"Mitchell said how eager he was to return to New Road for another spell," said Worcestershire Cricket Steering Group Chairman Paul Pridgeon. "And it didn't take long for that everything is sorted. We believe signing him with Michael Bracewell will make us a stronger T20 team."

Santner added: "It's great to be back in Worcestershire for a third season and reuniting with old friends and faces in the locker room, as well as new ones.

"I kept a keen interest in what they did after I left, and it was great to win the Blast in 2018 and to be so close again the year after. Making that breakthrough was brilliant. I hope I can help them get those good times back.

"A few New Zealanders have played for Worcestershire since I left, such as Martin Guptill and Ish Sodhi, and it will be great to have Michael Bracewell as a team-mate."

< p class="" data-reactid=".114ul04aqy0.0.0.0.1.$paragraph -10">Santner has won 24 Test caps for New Zealand, played 80 T20 internationals and his 87 international appearances from a day include a medal of second to Lord's against England in the 2019 World Cup Final.

In addition to playing for the Northern Districts in the New Zealand Super Smash, he also played T20 cricket in the Indian Premier League for Chennai. Super Kings, mainly in 2019 and 2022, and for the Tridents of Barbados in 2020, in the Caribbean Premier League.