Neil Wagner joins Somerset for Championship run-in

Somerset have signed New Zealand bowler Neil Wagner for the final three rounds of the LV= Insurance County Championship.

Wagner had been due to play for Yorkshire this summer but suffered a torn hamstring and a bulging disc in his back while playing a Test against Sri Lanka in March. He has previously turned out for Essex, Lancashire and Northamptonshire in county cricket.

Somerset had enjoyed the services of Matt Henry and Peter Siddle as overseas players during the first half of the season but both have now finished their spells at the club.

"We have been working extremely hard to secure the services of a quality international bowler for the last three red-ball fixtures of the season," Somerset's director of cricket, Andy Hurry, said. "Neil is a proven performer at the very highest level and has vast experience as well as a thorough understanding of Championship cricket.

"He is a real competitor, and alongside our other highly rated bowlers, we believe we have the capability to consistently take 20 wickets as we enter the final phase of the Championship season."

Somerset are currently fifth in Division One of the Championship, with Wagner set to be available for their trip to Southampton on September 3.

Wagner said: "I'm looking forward to joining up with Somerset and hopefully I can help them finish the season strongly. I've played English county cricket before and it's something that I really enjoy. Division One is very competitive again this year and there are no easy games, but I'll be doing everything that I can to make sure that Somerset finish as close to the top of the table as possible."

Elsewhere, Worcestershire have signed Netherlands allrounder Logan van Beek for the rest of the Metro Bank Cup campaign, as well as two rounds of the Championship.

Van Beek, who spent three seasons at Derbyshire between 2019 and 2021, will be involved in five One-Day Cup games, starting with Gloucestershire's visit to New Road, and Championship fixtures against Glamorgan and Durham before joining up with Netherlands for their World Cup preparations.

Worcestershire have also announced that Ethan Brookes, 22, will join them on a two-year contract. The Warwickshire allrounder, brother of Henry, has played three first-class games and 18 List A games after coming through the Edgbaston academy.