Derbyshire sign NZ batsman Neil Broom

Derbyshire have signed the New Zealand batsman Neil Broom on a two-year deal from next season.

Broom, 31, holds a British passport, will play in all formats and will feature alongside his fellow countryman Hamish Rutherford.

He has played 22 ODIs and 10 T20s for New Zealand - his most recent international appearance coming in a T20 against Sri Lanka in 2013. The last of his one-day appearances came back in 2010 and he has a top score of 71 from his ODI career.

In the 2014-15 Plunket Shield season - New Zealand's first-class competition - he scored 820 runs at 45.55.

"We're delighted to have Neil with us for the next two seasons," Graeme Welch, the Derbyshire head coach, said. "We know we need to strengthen our batting and adding a player of Neil's experience and calibre will certainly do that.

"He has competed at the highest level and played with Hamish Rutherford before so we know he'll bring us something extra both on and off the field. Our youngsters will also benefit massively from playing alongside experienced international batsmen who can play all formats as they continue their development."

Broom said: "It's a great opportunity for me to be able to play all forms in England over the next two summers. I have heard great things about the progress being made at Derbyshire and I am very much looking forward to joining up with my new team-mates next year."