Melbourne Stars on Thursday announced the signing of English batter Joe Clarke for the Big Bash League (BBL) season.

Melbourne Stars said the 25-year-old right-hander is familiar with BBL following a previous stint with the Perth Scorchers.

Clarke said he was excited about the opportunity to play again in the BBL and at the MCG.

"I'm pretty excited about coming down to Melbourne for the Australian summer and getting involved at the Stars," Clarke said in a statement.

"The Stars are known for the quality players that are involved so it was a pretty simple decision for me to commit to this summer and play in front of all the fans in green. I know Melbourne has been through a tough 18 months with COVID so I'm looking forward to being part of the fun that is ahead this summer," he added.

In June, Clarke smashed 136 off 95 deliveries in a T20 Cup match against Northamptonshire.

Melbourne Stars BBL Head Coach David Hussey said Clarke's versatility would be valuable.

"It's well known in the UK how talented Joe is and we want his time with the Stars to hopefully lead to even bigger things in the future for him," Hussey said.

"He'll be a great fit for our batting line up. He's a really clean striker of the ball and has scored consistently in the competitions he's played in the last couple of years. Joe also gives us an option with the wicketkeeping gloves so all those elements will be beneficial for our team shape," he added.

( With inputs from ANI )

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