Gloucestershire sign Daniel Worrall as all-formats overseas player for 2021

Gloucestershire have announced the signing of Daniel Worrall, the South Australia seamer, as an all-formats overseas player for the 2021 season.

Worrall, 29, has had two brief stints at the club in the past, playing six games at the start of the 2018 campaign and two Royal London Cup fixtures in 2019 before a season-ending back injury.

The club have struggled to a find an overseas player who is available for the full season since Michael Klinger's retirement from first-class cricket ahead of the 2017 County Championship, instead largely relying on homegrown players and occasional short-term signings in red-ball cricket.

They had signed Jerome Taylor, the former West Indies seamer, as a Kolpak player before the Covid-19 pandemic and he was due to move to an overseas deal after Brexit, but ESPNcricinfo understands that contract is not likely to be fulfilled. They had also signed Qais Ahmad and AJ Tye for last summer's T20 Blast before their deals were cancelled due to international travel restrictions.

Having initially made his name as a red-ball bowler, Worrall has developed as a limited-overs option in recent seasons, taking the new ball for Melbourne Stars in last season's Big Bash League as they reached the final.

"I am grateful for the opportunity to come back to Gloucestershire as I feel I have plenty of unfinished business with the club," Worrall said. "I am confident that I'll be able to come to the UK and make a difference in the new season.

"I have played a couple of seasons with Gloucestershire and love being in Bristol. The squad has had a couple of changes and the injection of some young talent into the group is exciting for the future of the club."

Richard Dawson, the club's head coach, said: "First and foremost, Dan is a quality opening bowler who has shown previously at Gloucestershire how highly skilled he is, especially in English conditions.

"He's a great person to have in the changing room and to have a new-ball bowler for the whole season is a positive boost not just for the bowling attack but for the whole squad."