McAndrew will join Steve Smith in the Sussex Borough of Service

Steve Smith will have Australian company in the form of Sydney Thunder pace bowling all-rounder Nathan McAndrew during his pre-Ashes stint in Sussex, England.

McAndrew, 29, will play in both the County Championship and the Blast, the English game’s premier T20 tournament, from April to July.

The deal means he will join forces on the south coast with Smith, who has been signed to play three county championship games for Sussex in May to acclimatize for the Ashes.

McAndrew was hired by Paul Farbrace, the former England assistant manager who previously signed the Wollongong player when he was sporting director in Warwickshire but moved to Sussex as head coach in December.

McAndrew impressed Farbrace in Warwickshire by taking 20 wickets at 37.85 apiece and scoring 278 at 34.75, including two fifties.

“I can’t wait to get to England to play with Sussex,” said McAndrew, who took 13 wickets for Thunder in the group stage of the BBL season to help them get to the play-offs .

“I thoroughly enjoyed my time in county cricket last year and I look forward to taking the next step in my career in red and white ball cricket this season. I look forward to working with Paul Farbrace again and contributing to the success of Sussex. “

Sussex bowling coach James Kirtley said: “Nathan is more than a capable slugger but it will be his bowling that will excite us. In T20 cricket he throws the pressure flips regularly, which requires courage and skill.

“It’s very reassuring for our T20 team to know that we have someone to rely on in these situations.

“In four-day cricket he runs all day. His experience in England last year will pay off as his performances just kept getting better.”

Smith won’t be the only world-class luminary McAndrew will be a part of, as Sussex have also signed Indian batsman Cheteshwar Pujara for a second season in Division Two of the county championship, while Pakistani all-rounder Shadab Khan will play for them in the blast will .