Kemar Roach re-joins Surrey for first five matches of County Championship

The West Indian pace bowler took 22 wickets at 20.54 in five appearances in 2021. Top-order batter Hashim Amla also returns as the club's second overseas player

Kemar Roach will re-join Surrey for the first five matches of the 2022 LV= Insurance County Championship.

The 33-year-old seamer will be available to face Warwickshire, Hampshire, Somerset, Gloucestershire and Northamptonshire before returning to the Caribbean to prepare for his upcoming international commitments.

Roach made a big impression during his five-match stay with the club last season, picking up 22 wickets at 20.54.

Capable of swinging the ball both ways and beating batters with his pace, he was a key opening bowler for Surrey, most notably against Hampshire when he dismissed Ian Holland, Sam Northeast, Tom Alsop and James Vince inside the opening 18 overs and finished the innings with figures of 8 for 40.

He also brings bags of experience to Surrey’s attack, having taken 231 wickets at 27.22 in 68 Test appearances for West Indies and 432 wickets across his first-class career.

^{Roach has taken 231 wickets in 68 Test appearances for West Indies[Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images]}

But as with last season, there is a concern about what happens after his five-match stay is over. Only Jordan Clark (32) and Amar Virdi (28) took more red-ball wickets for Surrey last season, and they’ve also lost the services of now-retired allrounder Rikki Clarke, who picked up 16 wickets last season.

Commenting on his return to the Oval, Roach said: "After my thoroughly enjoyable time at the Kia Oval last season I am thrilled to be heading back for another stint with Surrey CCC.

"I finished last season well with ball in hand and hope to pick up where I left off. I would like to thank both Surrey and CWI for this opportunity and I can’t wait to get back to the UK."

Director of cricket, Alec Stewart, added: "We’re very pleased Kemar will return to Surrey for the first five matches of the season. He had a real impact on the squad in the first part of 2021, not just as a bowler but as an experienced international player in the dressing room too.

"He is a proven performer in all conditions and showed last year how he is perfectly suited to the early part of the English domestic season and we look forward to seeing him perform in a Surrey shirt again this year."

Also returning to Surrey in 2022 is Hashim Amla. The South African top-order batter scored 994 runs at 58.47 in 2021, including three centuries and two half-centuries, and will be the club's second overseas player.