Ingram takes Kolpak route to Glamorgan

Colin Ingram has signed a three-year contract to play county cricket with Glamorgan from next season. He will join as a Kolpak player, meaning he does not count as overseas, which will rule him out of playing for South Africa.

Ingram, 29, who was recently made captain of the Warriors franchise, last played for his country a year ago. He scored a century on ODI debut in 2010 and averages 32.42 from 31 appearances but is only an outside chance for South Africa's World Cup squad, despite JP Duminy's injury and the poor form of Farhaan Behardien.

His form has been good in the domestic one-day competition, however, putting him fifth on the run-scorers' list after five games.

He will join another former South Africa international at Glamorgan, with Jacques Rudolph returning as overseas player. Ingram's signing, which will require clearance from Cricket South Africa and the ECB, should strengthen Glamorgan's batting after the departures of Jim Allenby, Murray Goodwin, Stewart Walters and Gareth Rees.

"I'm delighted to be joining Glamorgan," Ingram said. "I had my first taste of playing county cricket with Somerset last July and I enjoyed it. I've spoken to Jacques Rudolph about the club and I'm looking forward to the challenge and to playing with my new team mates."

In 2014, Ingram signed with Somerset as an overseas replacement for Alviro Petersen, appearing in all three formats and scoring three fifties. His final appearance came against Glamorgan, a match in which Rudolph scored a matchwinning century, and Ingram has previously played in Cardiff, during South Africa's 2013 Champions Trophy campaign.

Hugh Morris, Glamorgan's chief executive, said: "Signing a player of Colin Ingram's undoubted calibre and experience is a great boost as we continue our preparations ahead of the new season. Our strategy is to develop a team with a strong Welsh identity, but we have always said that we need pillars of experienced players in key positions to supplement our home-grown talent by recruiting from outside our borders.

"Colin is an outstanding talent and aged 29 is in the prime of his career. Anyone in Cardiff, who saw his innings against the West Indies last year in the Champions Trophy couldn't help be impressed. I look forward to welcoming Colin to Glamorgan."