ESSEX have today completed the signing of a new overseas bowler.

South African Lonwabo Tsotsobe, 27, expects to join up with the Essex First XI Squad for the County Championship match at Middlesex next week.

Lonwabo Tsotsobe will add extra firepower to the Essex bowling attack as a left arm fast-medium bowler. Following the ICC World Cup Lonwabo jumped up to a career best sixth position in the latest ICC Reliance Mobile ODI rankings.

Paul Grayson, Essex head coach said: “Obviously we are delighted to get him in. He has come highly recommended by people we know, as a left armer he offers variation and we hope he will make a big impact for the start of season.

“We will have Tsotsobe up until the start of the Twenty20 season at which time we will welcome Scott Styris into the squad for the T20 campaign”.

Lonwabo, speaking exclusively to www.essexcricket.org.uk: “I am thrilled to be joining up with Essex and hope I can make a significant contribution for the county with the ball. As this is my first experience of county cricket, I obviously can’t wait to get started and I look forward to playing a part in regaining our Division One status.”