Yousuf and Rudolph join Derbyshire
Derbyshire have announced two big-name signings with Mohammad Yousuf and Jacques Rudolph joining the team for next summer
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They have come up with two fine, and currently in-form, batsmen who are yet to experience county cricket. Yousuf made career-best 223 in the third Test against England at Lahore while Rudolph batted throughout the final day at Perth, for an unbeaten 102, to secure a draw for South Africa.
Derbyshire have languished near the foot of domestic cricket since the experienced team of the 1990s disintegrated with the departures of Kim Barnett, Devon Malcolm, Phil DeFreitas, Dominic Cork and Chris Adams. The 2005 season ended with them losing Luke Sutton, their wicketkeeper batsman and former captain, who has moved to Lancashire.
However, the arrival of Yousuf and Rudolph will give David Houghton an experienced middle order to build an otherwise youthful team around. Derbyshire have still to appoint a captain for next summer, although both overseas stars will now be in the frame.
"Jacques is one of the best young batsmen in international cricket and we are delighted he will be with Derbyshire next season," said chief executive Tom Sears. "He has been in superb form recently and his century against Australia has already been described as one of the great Test innings.
"Jacques has the quality, technique, determination and attitude that we have been looking for and he is very excited about joining Derbyshire and playing his first season of county cricket. What has impressed us most is that he is really looking forward to the challenge of helping us progress as a side and we are convinced he has all the attributes to help us succeed."
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