Zampa joins the legspin influx

Australia leg-spinner Adam Zampa has signed for English county Essex for their entire T20 Blast campaign.

He became the second legspinner to be secured by an English county on a T20 deal, Sussex having confirmed earlier that Rashid Khan would join them for the first half of their T20 season.

Zampa brings considerable T20 experience, having represented Melbourne Stars in Australia's Big Bash and for Rising Pune Supergiants in the Indian Premier League, while he has featured in 31 one-day and 13 Twenty20 internationals.

Essex head coach Anthony McGrath added: "I have been keeping tabs on Adam for a while. He has the ability to spin the ball both ways and that mystery in the middle overs is something that we have been missing from our T20 side.

"We have done our homework and leg-spin makes a real difference in T20 cricket around the world, but you don't want to just bring in any leg-spinner. Adam is one of the best around at the moment and it is another outstanding signing for the club."

South African offspinner Simon Harmer was a key figure in Essex's Championship win, and finished sixth in the PCA's Most Valuable Player rankings for all competitions, but he failed to make an impact in T20 and disappeared at more than nine runs an over.

Zampa is the second Australian signed by Essex this week after fast bowler Peter Siddle was secured earlier in the week.