Ashton Agar: Australia all-rounder to return for Northamptonshire’s Blast quarter-final

The Steelbacks are also trying to negotiate the return of South Africa batter Matt Breetzke for the visit of the defending champions to Wantage Road.

The right-hander had an outstanding group phase, topping the club’s run-scoring chart with 460 runs, including four half-centuries.

Sadler said the club were “hopeful” Breetzke, who is away with his country on their white-ball tour of the West Indies, will come back.

“We’re not sure how that’s going to pan out,” Sadler said.

“We obviously want to get him back because he’s been brilliant for us but we’ll see how it unfolds.

“I know he’s desperate to come back but he’s on the verge of playing for South Africa in all three formats so that’s understandably his main driver.

“I also know that he so wants to come back and play for us that he’s happy to fly in, play and fly back out but that is a situation that we’ll have to negotiate with Cricket South Africa.”