Ravi Bopara will be the Aces overseas professional for much of the coming season with the possibility that he could appear as soon as the Aces opening Plunket Shield game against Central Districts on Tuesday 10 November in Napier.
Bopara has ostensibly been signed for the HRV Cup, the Twenty20 domestic competition in January but his eagerness to be involved means that he is arriving in the country on Sunday and will be available for the first four rounds of Plunket Shield, the first four rounds of the one day competition and then the entire HRV Cup campaign .
Auckland Cricket CEO Andrew Eade was delighted with the signing.
"Ravi is a quality international player and to have him for not only the HRV Cup but a good part of our season as well is a fantastic result. It also shows that we'll be gaining a cricketer with a great attitude and desire to succeed."
A top order bat and part time bowler good enough to have taken 90 wickets for Essex, Bopara had a spectacular start to his international career, accumulating three centuries in consecutive tests against the West Indies before struggling against the touring Australians.
Having been dropped for the last Ashes test Bopara is on a mission to regain his English spot and was therefore eager to start playing cricket as soon as possible.
He will provide extra flair and power hitting to the Aces batting line-up for the HRV Cup as well as some invaluable international experience for their Plunket Shield and one day campaigns.
Auckland Cricket Association Inc.
