Dippenaar signed by Foxes

Leicestershire have signed former South Africa international Boeta Dippenaar as their overseas player for 2008 and 2009.

South African signs two-year deal at Grace Road

Leicestershire have signed former South Africa international Boeta Dippenaar as their overseas player for 2008 and 2009. The 30-year-old batsman is still contracted to Cricket South Africa despite not having played a Test since scoring just three runs against Pakistan in January. However, his mediocre record as a Test player is dwarfed by his ODI stats, where he boasts an average of almost 42 runs in 108 appearances. And head coach Tim Boon believes Dippenaar's wealth of experience in the international arena will be a huge boost to the restructuring taking place at Grace Road. "Boeta will add energy and much-needed experience to the batting line-up with the added option of moving him up the order in the one-day game," he told the club's website. The Foxes have also retained the services of another South African in paceman Garnett Kruger, who has signed a two-year contract as a Kolpak player. "Kruger is fit and strong, and still has his best cricket years ahead of him, given his age and the fact that he has not been over-bowled," Boon added. "It is important that we have an experienced senior strike bowler capable of bowling hostile spells to place the opposition on the back foot."