Warwickshire bolster batting with signing of Pieter Malan
Warwickshire have signed South Africa batsman Pieter Malan as their red-ball overseas professional, completing their recruitment for the 2021 season.
The Bears had earlier confirmed the signing of Carlos Brathwaite for the 2021 Vitality Blast.
Pieter Malan signs for Warwickshire
Malan will be the only batsman in the Warwickshire squad who is over 30-years-old, and Director of cricket Paul Farbrace hopes his experience will benefit the young squad.
Warwickshire have just one England contracted batsman in their group in the form of Dom Sibley who could be tasked with opening alongside Malan.
“Pieter is a very good signing for us,” said Farbrace.
“He has played a lot of cricket in South Africa and he has a very impressive batting average across all three formats. He played against England last winter and I think he has been unlucky not to play more international cricket.
“We have got some very talented young batsmen in our top order and for them to work with, and bat out in the middle with, someone of Pieter’s experience and quality will be brilliant for them.
“Pieter is also a very impressive man, friendly, likeable and polite, but with real inner steel and with a point to prove. I know how much he wants to come to the Bears and score some serious runs.”
Malan toiled away for many years in the South African domestic scene before being granted a Test debut against England in January 2020.
The 31-year-old top order batsman has over 10,000 First-Class runs to his name and says that he has always dreamed of playing county cricket.
“It’s always been an ambition of mine to play county cricket and I’m very excited to be afforded the opportunity at a top county with a proud history like Warwickshire,” Malan said.
“I can’t wait to get to Edgbaston and get started with the Bears.”
Malan will join the Edgbaston-based County ahead of their Group 1 opener against Derbyshire, which gets underway on 8 April 2021. The group also includes defending champions Essex, Worcestershire, Nottinghamshire and Durham.
Warwickshire have previously been home to Proteas Allan Donald, Shaun Pollock, Dale Steyn, Imran Tahir and Monde Zondeki.
Latest
-
NewsDom Sibley set for spell out with broken finger
Sibley will soon be working with former England batsman Jonathan Trott
-
NewsNational selector Ed Smith to leave England and Wales Cricket Board
The role is being abolished.
-
NewsEngland all-rounder Liam Livingstone flies home from IPL over ‘bubble fatigue’
The 27-year-old has yet to feature for the Rajasthan Royals during the current tournament.
-
NewsEngland hopeful Ollie Robinson stars as Sussex defeat Glamorgan by eight wickets
The visitors passed their target of 154 to win thanks to unbeaten half-centuries from Aaron Thomason and Tom Clark.
-
NewsOllie Pope hits 245 as Surrey take upper-hand over Leicestershire on day three
England batsmen Ollie Pope and Joe Root hit red-ball centuries for their county.
-
NewsMohammad Abbas hat-trick puts Hampshire in command against Middlesex
Lancashire’s Matt Parkinson produced a ball of the century contender against Northamptonshire.
-
NewsShubman Gill and Mohammed Siraj earn first BCCI contracts
Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal, have suffered contract demotions.
-
NewsDom Sibley injury adds to England’s worries with Ben Stokes facing 12 weeks out
Stokes was injured playing in the IPL while Sibley was in County Championship action with Warwickshire.
-
NewsCan England cope without talisman Ben Stokes against New Zealand this summer?
All-rounder Stokes faces up to 12 weeks out with a fractured finger.
-
NewsBen Stokes ruled out for up to three months with broken finger
The England all-rounder will have surgery on the injury picked up playing in the Indian Premier League.