Gloucestershire bring in big-hitting South African Grant Roelofsen

Roelofsen will provide cover for Marcus Harris in the County Championship as well as featuring in the T20 Blast

Gloucestershire have signed South African wicketkeeper-batter Grant Roelofsen ahead of the 2023 T20 Blast.

He will also provide cover in the County Championship when opener Marcus Harris links up with the Australia squad for June's World Test Championship final and the 2023 Ashes series.

Across his career, the South African batter averages 34.58 in T20 cricket and 38.24 in first-class cricket, scoring eight centuries and 10 half-centuries in 79 innings in the latter format.

No stranger to English conditions, a stint in Essex's 2022 One-Day Cup campaign saw Roelofsen average 59.16 across seven matches.

More recently, he suited up for MI Cape Town in the inaugural SA20 competition, during which he scored two half-centuries with a strike rate of 112 across 10 matches.

^{Roelofsen will provide cover for Marcus Harris in the County Championship as well as representing Gloucestershire in the T20 Blast [Jonathan DiMaggio/Getty Images]}

Commenting on joining Gloucestershire, Roelofsen said: "I am extremely excited to be joining the Gloucestershire lads for the next couple of months.

"I'm over the moon with the opportunity to play for Gloucestershire in what will hopefully be a successful time for both myself and the team.

"I am excited to learn, grow and hopefully perform in different conditions to South Africa with what is an exceptionally talented bunch of guys."

Gloucestershire head coach Dale Benkenstein added: "We're really pleased to have secured the signing of Grant.

"[His signing] provides us with added quality in the batting unit during a crucial period of cricket for us.

"He also gives us an extra option with the gloves, too, so I'm really pleased to be welcoming Grant to the team."