Nottinghamshire sign George Linde for 2026 T20 Blast; Lancashire add Mitchell Perry for County Championship

Nottinghamshire have confirmed the signing of South African all-rounder George Linde for the 2026 T20 Blast, strengthening their squad ahead of the newly condensed competition next summer.

Linde, 34, will be available for the entire Blast campaign, including the knockout stages, which will run from May to July under the revised structure. The left-arm spinner and middle-order batter brings extensive global T20 experience, having featured in leagues such as the SA20, Major League Cricket (MLC), the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) and the Pakistan Super League (PSL).

The South African is no stranger to English domestic cricket. He represented Kent between 2022 and 2023, taking 26 wickets in 27 Blast appearances, and spent last summer at Trent Bridge with Trent Rockets, helping them reach the final of the Hundred.

“It’s a great opportunity to play for Notts Outlaws, and I’m very excited to be coming back to the Blast, which is a competition that is a lot of fun to play in,” Linde said. “I’m looking forward to joining up with the team, and I’ll be aiming to contribute with bat and ball as we look to return to the knockout stages.

“I’m really excited to return to Trent Bridge, which I had a lot of fun calling home with the Rockets last year. It’s a great venue, and I’m excited to join a new team with a very strong past record in T20 cricket.”

Nottinghamshire head coach Peter Moores welcomed the signing, highlighting Linde’s versatility and experience.

“I’m excited that George has agreed to join us for the entire Blast season next summer,” Moores said. “He has the ability to bowl at any stage of the innings, as well as being a powerful left-handed middle-order batter.

“George will add valuable experience to an already talented spin group, making sure we’re covered for all conditions during the Blast. After spending some time with him at the Rockets, it was clear he has a real hunger to play in the Blast again after his first experience with Kent. We can’t wait to welcome him.”

Meanwhile, Lancashire have bolstered their bowling resources for the opening block of the 2026 County Championship by signing Australian seamer Mitchell Perry.

Perry, 25, has built a strong red-ball reputation with Victoria and has represented Australia A. In 49 first-class matches, he has claimed 140 wickets at an average of 29.32 and has also contributed with the bat, scoring five half-centuries.

“I’m really excited to join Lancashire for the 2026 County Championship,” Perry said. “It’s a huge opportunity for me, and playing county cricket is something I’ve always wanted to experience. Lancashire is a club with a proud history and a strong squad, and I’m looking forward to contributing on and off the field.

“I’ve heard great things from my Victoria team-mate Marcus Harris. I can’t wait to get over to Emirates Old Trafford, meet the boys, and get stuck into a big red-ball season.”

Lancashire’s director of cricket performance, Mark Chilton, said Perry’s skill set made him an ideal fit for English conditions.

“We’re really pleased to bring a talented bowler like Mitch to Lancashire for our first block of red-ball matches in the 2026 season,” Chilton said. “Australia’s seam bowling depth has made a strong impact on county cricket in recent seasons, and Mitch comes to us highly recommended.

“His skillset with the ball is well suited to English conditions, and we believe he will complement our existing attack perfectly. He will also strengthen the lower-order batting, which fits the profile of player we were looking to bring to Emirates Old Trafford.”