Middlesex could pair two Australian hard-hitting left-handers at the top of their batting order for the 2010 Friends Provident t20 competition after they revealed that David Warner would be joining Adam Gilchrist in their squad.

Subject to Warner receiving a No Objection Certificate from Cricket Australia (CA), the New South Wales and Delhi Daredevils player will be available for all but a few games, should he be called up to play for Australia against Pakistan in England.

“We are absolutely thrilled to announce David Warner as our second FP t20 signing. David is a batsman of undoubted talent and is one of the most explosive and exciting batsmen in international t20 cricket," MIddlesex Chief Executive Vinny Codrington said.

"Currently over at the IPL with the Delhi Daredevils, we watched as David smashed 107 not out off just 69 balls against Kolkata Knightriders, and we knew right then that we’d made the right decision in bringing him to Middlesex.

"David will be with us for the vast majority of the FP t20 campaign and fans of Middlesex are in for a real treat at Lord’s as they’ll witness him opening the batting with his fellow countryman Adam Gilchrist.

"We’re thrilled that David chose to join Middlesex, ahead of the other English counties that were chasing him, and we are in no doubt that he’ll prove equally as popular as Phillip Hughes, who made such an impression when he joined us last year."

"We did actually speak to Phillip regarding him coming over for this year’s FP t20 campaign, and were extremely close to agreeing terms that would see him make a return to the Club. Phillip however has recently been recalled to the Australian international set up and will be concentrating on securing his place in the Australian side this year. He went to lengths however to explain to all of us at the Club that he would jump at the chance to rejoin Middlesex, which is great news for all of us.”

Warner made his Twenty20 International debut for Australia before he had played a first-class match for New South Wales and has gone on to represent his country in 13 Twenty20 Internationals and seven One-Day Internationals.

He said: “I am very much looking forward to playing with the Middlesex Panthers for their upcoming FP t20 season.

"It’s a fantastic opportunity to play at Lord’s and with Adam Gilchrist. Hopefully I can learn a few tricks from Gilly, one of the greats of the game and hopefully help Middlesex win the Friends Provident t20. I can’t wait.”

Warner played for Durham in the 2009 ECB Twenty20 Cup, where he scored 113 runs in four matches with one half-century.

© Cricket World 2010