Sean Ervine signs for Hampshire

The 21-year-old allrounder, Sean Ervine, has become the fourth Zimbabwean rebel cricketer to join the county circuit, after completing a two-year deal with Hampshire.

Ervine, who quit international cricket earlier this year, joined Western Australia in June and intends to build a new life Down Under. But he is keen to spend his summers in England and told Hampshire's official website that he was thrilled by the new challenge.

"This is a challenge I relish," he said. "I want to develop my career with Hampshire." In spite of this week's ECB moves to clamp down on overseas imports, Ervine will be registered at the club as a non-overseas player, under the provisions of the Kolpak ruling, which allows free movement of players with EU passports.

Ervine played 42 one-day internationals for Zimbabwe, scoring 698 runs at an average of 25.85, with his highest score of 100 coming against India at the Adelaide Oval in last season's VB Series. He took 41 wickets at an average of 39.07. He also played five Tests in his short career, averaging 32 with the bat and 43 with the ball.

Ervine joins his fellow rebels, Heath Streak (Warwickshire), Grant Flower (Essex) and Ray Price (Worcestershire) on the county circuit, and he is Hampshire's second signing of the week, following the arrival of the seam bowler, Richard Logan, earlier this week. The newly qualified England batsman, Kevin Pietersen, may soon be joining the pair at Hampshire, after rejecting a new contract at Nottinghamshire.