Northants bring in Spriegel

Northamptonshire have begun to plan for next season by signing the Surrey allrounder Matthew Spriegel on a two-year contract. The 25-year-old, who helped Surrey win the CB40 Trophy last season, will add depth and experience to one of the weakest one-day sides in the country.

Spriegel has a batting average of 38.86 in List A cricket and has taken 40 wickets in 61 matches with his offspin. He played in every game of Surrey's successful CB40 campaign in 2011 and hit the winning runs in the Lord's final.

With Northamptonshire winning just two limited-overs games in 2012 - once in the FLt20 and once in the CB40 - Spriegel has been brought in to improve their fortunes. He also has three first-class hundreds to his name since making his Surrey debut in 2008 but made just two Championship appearances this season.

"We are delighted that Matthew had decided to join Northants, as he is exactly the type of multi-dimensional cricketer we have been looking to attract to the club," Northamptonshire coach, David Ripley, said. "Matthew has shown a real hunger to improve himself in all formats and will give us some excellent options with both bat and ball in the short and longer form of the game."

David Smith, Northamptonshire's chief executive, said: "It is no secret that our white-ball cricket performances over the last 18 months have fallen below both the club and supporter's expectations and I am sure Matthew will assist us in our efforts to re-establish a competitive team in this form of the game. He was an integral part of the Surrey's Clydesdale Bank 40 winning team at Lords in 2011, so brings trophy-winning experience to the club."