Xavier Bartlett has been permission to extend his cricketing education with a spell of T20s in England, playing in the Blast competition for Kent Spitfires.
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The 25-year-old's explosive BBL season with Brisbane Heat catapulted him to Australian selection, but threatened to derail his trip overseas as Cricket Australia took measures to avoid burn-out.
Kent had originally announced the quick bowler's capture in February with Bartlett inked in for five of the opening seven four-day County Championship matches, and at least the first eight fixtures of the T20 Blast.
However, CA put the block on with Bartlett having made his international T20 debut against West Indies in February, and his ODI bow a month earlier, taking four wickets in each of his appearances in the latter format.
Now, though, CA has relented, and allowed Bartlett to join Kent for their opening eight fixtures in the short-form event. He will join up with Wes Agar, who is in his second spell with the county, for whom Steve Waugh, Terry Alderman and Marcus Stoinis have played in the past.
Kent also have current England opening batter Zak Crawley while their T20 team is captained by Bartlett's Brisbane Heat teammate Sam BIllings.
"We've been working extremely hard with Cricket Australia to ensure that Xavier can join us in some capacity this season, and we're really pleased to have secured his services," Kent's director of cricket, Simon Cook, said.
"He is hot property at the moment and fully deserves his new central contract with Australia. I know that Spitfires supporters around the world will be extremely excited that the BBL's top wicket-taker this winter will be pulling on a Kent shirt this June."
Bartlett took 20 wickets in 11 matches at an average of 14.70 as Heat won Big Bash 13.
Australian Associated Press
