Essex sign Bravo for Finals day
Essex, who secured a spot in the final four of the Friends Provident t20 by beating Lancashire on Tuesday, have strengthened their squad by signing West Indies allrounder Dwayne Bravo
Cricinfo staff
28-Jul-2010
Dwayne Bravo has played a key role in Trinidad & Tobago's Twenty20 campaign, and Essex are hoping he can fill the allrounder slot for them • Philip Spooner/ West Indies Cricket Board
Essex, who secured a spot in the final four of the Friends Provident t20 by beating Lancashire at Chelmsford on Tuesday, have strengthened their squad by signing West Indies allrounder Dwayne Bravo. Bravo is currently representing Trinidad and Tobago in the Caribbean Twenty20 tournament, but will be available for selection for Finals day on August 14, pending his visa approval.
"Obviously Dwayne is a world class allrounder, and we have lost the services of other big hitters such as Graham Napier and Ryan ten Doeschate," said Paul Grayson, Essex first XI Head Coach.
"We see Dwayne as a like for like replacement for Scott Styris. He is a high quality cricketer, we feel we are short of another allrounder with injuries to Napier and Tendo [ten Doeschate], he is a top class player and we hope he can make a major impact on Finals Day".
Essex were struck by two major injury blows earlier this season, as Napier suffered a stress fracture of the back, and ten Doeschate tore a calf muscle during Essex's win over Somerset on June 16.
"Ryan has been doing all he can with the support of the back-room staff, if Ryan continues to progress well over the next couple of weeks we can only hope that he has a chance to play his part in Finals Day," explained Grayson. "We will give him every chance of playing at the Rose Bowl for Finals Day."