Middlesex sign Collins for 2010 season

Middlesex have signed Pedro Collins, the former West Indies left-arm seamer, for the 2010 season. Collins will link up with the Middlesex squad in mid April, and joins a pace attack which already contains Iain O'Brien, the former New Zealand paceman, as well as Steven Finn and Middlesex's player of the year for the last three seasons, Tim Murtagh.

"I am delighted to be returning to England to play county cricket this summer," said Collins. "Playing at Lord's with West Indies was always a special experience and the thought of playing there for Middlesex with the home support on my side is very exciting. The Club have made some good signings this summer to complement a strong squad so I look forward to helping the club challenge for silverware."

Collins, 33, played 32 Tests for West Indies, taking 106 wickets, and also took part in 30 one-day internationals. His last international appearance came in a Test against India at Kingston in 2006, after which he had a two-year stint at Surrey as a Kolpak player, courtesy of his native Barbados's trade links with the United Kingdom.

After picking up just 16 wickets in five County Championship games last year, he was released by Surrey at the end of the 2009 season, but went on to have a successful time with Barbados, his 26 wickets helping them clinch second place in the domestic four-day competition.

"We are delighted to have secured the services of Pedro Collins," said Angus Fraser, Middlesex's managing director of cricket. "Pedro will bolster Middlesex's seam attack, bringing experience and variety to it. He has experience of bowling in English conditions and has had a very good domestic season in the Caribbean, in which he took 26 wickets at an average of only 17.53 for Barbados."