New Delhi, June 12 (IANS) Australian offspinner Todd Murphy is set to broaden his cricketing experience with a four-match County Championship stint for Gloucestershire during June and July, becoming the third Australian Test player to represent the club this season.

Murphy, 24, will follow in the footsteps of Cameron Green and will play under the captaincy of fellow Aussie Cameron Bancroft. With Green impressing in his five-match spell earlier in the season, Murphy’s addition bolsters a Gloucestershire side that is beginning to benefit from Australian firepower across formats.

Although Murphy was initially in line to feature for Australia A in a July series against Sri Lanka A, he has opted to prioritise county cricket with the approval of national selectors. The stint will mark his debut appearance in the County Championship, though he is no stranger to English conditions, having played two of his seven Test matches during the 2023 Ashes, at Headingley and The Oval.

“I am really pleased to have signed with Gloucestershire,” Murphy said. “I’ve always wanted to play county cricket in England, and I am thankful that Gloucestershire has given me this opportunity.”

Murphy had been set to play for Durham ahead of the 2023 Ashes, but the deal fell through. Since then, his red-ball appearances for Australia have been sporadic, with just one Test since the Ashes—against Sri Lanka earlier this year in Galle, where he featured in a rare three-spinner setup.

The move comes at a critical time in his development, with Australia’s long-standing offspinner Nathan Lyon committed to playing until the 2027 Ashes—by which time he’ll be 39. Murphy, alongside Matthew Kuhnemann and Corey Rocchiccioli, is widely considered among the top contenders to eventually succeed Lyon in the long term.

While County Championship matches typically use the Dukes ball, Murphy’s stint will be played with the Kookaburra ball, mirroring the conditions he’s accustomed to in Australia. This provides an ideal platform to build rhythm, confidence, and consistency ahead of future international assignments.

Gloucestershire head coach Mark Alleyne welcomed the signing, calling Murphy “a spin bowler with brilliant pedigree and experience on the international stage.”

“He will complement our bowling group really well over the next four Championship games,” Alleyne said. “These matches will be played with a Kookaburra ball, which he is really familiar with, and the fans will enjoy his tenacious offering.”

–IANS

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