Somerset sign Kieron Pollard

Having already secured the services of Cameron White for the 2010 Twenty20 Cup, Somerset have now snapped up Kieron Pollard, the West Indian batsman who starred for Trinidad & Tobago in the Champions League.

Pollard is something of a Twenty20 nomad, having played for South Australia as well and is expected to be a big attraction at the IPL auction after he made 146 runs in five innings during Trinidad & Tobago's excellent campaign in Champions League in October 2009. Having lost to the Caribbean side in the event, Somerset are thrilled to have bagged as dangerous a player as Pollard for the English Twenty20 season.

"Kieron showed himself to be the sort of player who can change a game in a very short period of time," said Brian Rose, Somerset's director of cricket. "He played consistently well and produced some amazing shots. Over the course of 16 games in our own Twenty20 competition he is guaranteed to have a huge influence. It's possible he might miss the first one, but after that we believe he will be available for every fixture.

"Cameron White may have to miss some games if he is called into Australia's squad for a one-day series against Pakistan and that is another reason we have signed Kieron. Our batting line-up in the Twenty20 is a mouth-watering prospect and there could be some tough selection decisions. That is the way we want it."

The prospect of a big-hitting Somerset line-up has already excited the Taunton faithful, with news that applications for membership have surged since White's signing. Chief executive Richard Gould said: "With the strength of our batting attack, people may have to start wearing hard hats in Taunton town centre."