Gloucestershire sign Australia seamer Chadd Sayers to bolster seam attack

Sayers, who has played a solitary Test for his country, replaces Dan Worrall whose season was ended by a back injury suffered in early May

Gloucestershire have signed Australian seamer Chadd Sayers as the club’s new overseas player, with the 31-year-old arriving in time to face Sussex in the County Championship game starting on 11 June.

Sayers, who has played a solitary Test for his country, replaces Dan Worrall whose season was ended by a back injury suffered in early May.

The swing bowler will remain with Gloucestershire until 25 July, giving him the opportunity to play in the county’s two T20 Blast fixtures against Middlesex and Glamorgan that will take place during the Cheltenham Cricket Festival.

Primarily, however, Sayers joins the club for his ability in red-ball cricket. Gloucestershire have started the 2019 season in fine style, sitting fourth in Division Two of the County Championship, having drawn three and won one of their four games thus far.

Sayers, who has taken 265 first-class wickets at an average of 24.9, will be tasked with bolstering a bowling attack that has been relying on Yorkshire loanee Josh Shaw in recent times. Sayers made his Test debut for Australia in 2018, taking the prize scalp of AB de Villiers as his first Test wicket.

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Coach Richard Dawson said: "It's great to have Chadd joining us for the next couple of months. He's a consistent performer in Shield cricket and his experience and skills will be valuable in the upcoming Championship matches."

Meanwhile, Sayers added: "It has always been an ambition of mine to play county cricket and I'm really looking forward to getting started.”