Ross Taylor to play for Sussex

The Kiwi batsman would be playing for Sussex, and help them reclaim their Division One status.

New Zealand middle-order batsman, Ross Taylor, has signed up for a county stint with Sussex, the Division Two English county club, and is supposed to play all three formats for them from mid-April to July before NZ leave for their tours of Zimbabwe and South Africa.

Taylor has been signed as an overseas player, after the Australian, Steve Magoffin, applied for a UK passport. Sussex were relegated to the Division Two of the Championship after their dismal performances last season and the arrival of Taylor would only strengthen the club’s chances of being reinstated to Division One.

The Kiwi batsman averages 45.99 in Tests and got his highest score of 290 in the format recently against Australia in Perth. He has played 68 Tests, 166 ODIs and 64 T20 internationals so far, having made his debut in international cricket in 2006.

"I am delighted to be joining Sussex in 2016," Taylor said. "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."

Wright was made the Sussex captain after Ed Joyce relieved himself off his duties and preferred to play the domestic T20 tournaments he had signed up for, throughout the year.

While Wright and wicket-keeper Ben Brown were the only players to have passed 1000 runs for the county in 2015, the retirement of the veteran Michael Yardy has left a gaping hole in their reserves.

Taylor, who has had a stint with Durham when he played T20s for them in 2010, is Sussex’s first signing since Davis was given the coaching responsibilities from Mark Robinson, who left the job to take charge of coaching the England Women.

Davis said: “"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 a testament to the ambition that we have at Sussex Cricket Limited.”

Taylor is currently on national duty, playing in the second Test against Sri Lanka in Hamilton.