Harvey set to join Hampshire

	Ian Harvey in action during the ICL, a tournament that could have serious implications for many counties © Cricinfo Ltd

Ian Harvey, the former Australia allrounder, is set to join Hampshire as their overseas player for the Twenty20, as a replacement for Shane Watson.

Harvey has been out of county action since his hopes of joining Derbyshire last year as a non-overseas player fell through. The Home Office turned down his application for British Citizenship because of a drink-driving conviction. That issue won't matter this time, as Harvey will be joining as Hampshire's one overseas player.

However, a possible complication that will arise with Harvey's signing is his links with the Indian Cricket League. He played for the Chennai Superstars and there have been warnings from Lalit Modi, the chairman of the IPL, that any team fielding ICL players will be disqualified from the lucrative Champions League, which was announced at the weekend.

But with the Twenty20 Cup starting on Wednesday, and Cricket Australia still in the early stages of drawing up the regulations for the Champions League, counties have little option but to name full-strength teams and hope a compromise is found regarding ICL players.

Harvey has an outstanding Twenty20 record with 993 runs in 32 matches and a strike-rate of 169.74. His top score is 109 and he has three centuries, alongside 33 wickets at 25.57 with his superb death bowling.

Watson, Hampshire's original signing for the Twenty20, was one of the stars of the IPL. His form has earned him a recall to the Australian one-day squad in West Indies after Matthew Hayden's injury.