BLACKCAPS batting star Ross Taylor and Test spearhead Chris Martin have secured county contracts with Durham and Essex respectively.
Taylor, will join up with the Durham Dynamos squad ahead of their first fixture against Lancashire Lightning on Friday 4 June at County Ground, Riverside.
On signing his contract, Taylor, said, “I’m really pleased to be part of Durham’s Twenty20 campaign, after their recent success in the Championship I want to be a major contributor in the team that replicates that in Twenty20 cricket
“The feedback I’ve had about the club and its supporters has been extremely positive and I can’t wait to join up with the Men in Black and start getting some results on the field.”
Durham County Cricket Club Chief Executive, David Harker, said: “Ross has been at the top of our wish list for some time and to finally have him joining us is fantastic.
“We’re always keen to ensure that we try and sign the right sort of player, taking into account their proven quality, availability and whether they will fit into the team culture here at Riverside and Ross definitely meets all our requirements – we’re delighted to have him on board."
Taylor will be representing the BLACKCAPS in the ICC World T20 in the West Indies before arriving at Riverside in time for the start of the domestic Friends Provident Twenty20 competition.
Meanwhile, Essex has snapped up BLACKCAPS pace bowler, Chris Martin who replaces Danish Kaneria who has domestic cricket commitments in Pakistan.
Paul Grayson, Essex First XI Coach added, “We are delighted that Chris will be joining us. He is a top-class bowler and is keen to play county championship cricket. Chris will be a good replacement in this interim period and we look forward to welcoming him to Essex.”
