Turner signs with Durham for a third straight Blast season

Western Australia batter Ashton Turner is headed back to Durham to play a third straight season in the Vitality Blast following his stint in the IPL with Lucknow Super Giants.

Turner, 31, has not played since knee surgery during the BBL ended his Australian domestic season in December but he is currently with LSG in the IPL although he has not been called into the XI due to their strong overseas contingent.

But he is set to be a key part of Durham's Blast campaign having played 22 matches for them across the last two seasons, scoring 408 runs at 34.00 with a strike-rate of 153.38 in the middle-order.

Turner is one of the very few T20 middle-order specialists in Australia and has been a popular player at both Durham and Manchester Originals in the last two England summers. Both Durham and Originals have strong WA connections with Turner's former WA team-mate Marcus North the director of cricket at Durham and former WA keeper-batter Ryan Campbell the current coach. Turner's former Perth Scorchers captain Simon Katich is the current Originals coach.

Turner's quality as a middle-order batter and leader is highly valued at Durham and North said he was delighted to have him back.

"It is great to news to have Ashton returning to Durham this season," North said. "During his two spells at the club, he has demonstrated vital leadership skills and fits into our dressing room very well.

"He is a proven leader and run scorer having captained the Scorchers and Western Australia to multiple championships in recent years. I look forward to him returning to the club in May."

Turner has captained Scorchers to two BBL titles and WA to three Marsh Cup (Australian domestic 50-over) titles in the last five years. His absence from the BBL through injury had a major impact on Scorchers' failure to claim a BBL three-peat.

He has played nine ODIs and 19 T20Is for Australia, with his most recent international coming against South Africa during a three-match T20I series last year.