Aaron Hardie moves to Surrey to play in the Blast and Championship

An Australian all-rounder will be available for the duration of the Blast group stage, arriving in late May.
Australia all-rounder Aaron Hardie has signed with Surrey for a two-month stint that includes three County Championship rounds and the Vitality Blast group stage.

Hardie, who briefly played for Surrey in 2022, will arrive at the Utilita Bowl ahead of the Championship match against Hampshire on May 24. In addition, Surrey's first Blast matchup against Hampshire is set for May 30. The group stage will continue until late July, with a break for back-to-back Championship matches against Worcestershire and Essex.

Alec Stewart, director of cricket at Surrey, said, "It's great to have Aaron back at the Kia Oval as his character and all-round skills in both red and white ball cricket will be an excellent addition to our squad." "He already knows our dressing room from his time with us in 2022 and I'm very confident he will show everyone why he is so highly regarded in Australia."

Hardie, 25, was the third-highest run scorer in the just-finished Big Bash League. He has received caps four times in ODIs and six times in T20Is. Surrey will be hoping that he stays under the radar before the T20 World Cup, which takes place in the Caribbean and the USA in June after he was called up to cover Australia's current T20I series against the West Indies.
Despite playing in just four games for Surrey in 2022, Hardie was instrumental in the team's Championship victory as he hit the game-winning runs against Yorkshire following an 81-run stand that turned the tide of the match in the fourth innings at Scarborough.

"I'm excited to return to Surrey this summer," Hardie declared. I had a great time at the Club in 2022 and learned the true meaning of wearing the Three Feathers. I'm prepared to contribute, help the team out with the bat or the ball, and try to help South London achieve more success."
Kemar Roach's spell will be coming to an end with his arrival, as the West Indies player signed for the first seven rounds of the Championship season.