Sussex sign former New Zealand captain Ross Taylor
Sunday 20 December 2015 18:54, UK
Sussex have signed former New Zealand captain Ross Taylor as their overseas player for the first half of the 2016 season.
Taylor will be available for Sussex from early April until July and will arrive in time for their opening County Championship match of the season against Northamptonshire.
The 31-year-old batsman, who has played in 68 Test matches for New Zealand, scoring over 5,000 runs and averaging 45.99, will play in all three formats of the game for Sussex.
Taylor has also featured in 166 ODIs, making over 5,500 runs and has broken the 1,000 run barrier in T20 Internationals, having played 64 times.
The Division Two club have signed Taylor, who previously had a stint in domestic T20 cricket with Durham in 2010, in anticipation that current overseas player Steve Magoffin will be successful in his application as a local player.
"I am delighted to be joining Sussex in 2016," said Taylor on Sussexcricket.co.uk.
"I've heard nothing but positive words said about the set up at Hove and I look forward to contributing across all three forms.
"Hopefully I can play my part in helping Sussex bounce straight back from the disappointment of relegation last season. I look forward to linking up with Luke Wright, who I have been speaking to regularly, Mark Davis and my new team-mates in April."
Sussex's head coach Mark Davis added: "We are thrilled to have acquired the services of Ross Taylor for a large part of the 2016 season.
"He is a brilliant all-round player with high skill in all formats of the game. To have secured one of the best batsmen in world cricket is testament to the ambition that we have at Sussex Cricket Limited.
"I am sure the Taylor family will have a fantastic time with us in Hove and we look forward to establishing a great relationship with them."
