Essex sign Mark Steketee to bolster early-season seam attack

The 28-year-old Australian is the leading wicket-taker in this season's Sheffield Shield

Essex have signed Mark Steketee, currently the leading wicket-taker in the Sheffield Shield, for the start of their LV= Insurance County Championship campaign.

The 28-year-old, who is part of Australia's squad for their Test tour of Pakistan, will be available for the first six games of the red-ball summer for the Chelmsford side.

This season for Queensland, he has taken 32 wickets at just 17.93 apiece in Australia's domestic four-day competition.

Steketee said: "I've always wanted to get over to England to play some county cricket. A lot of my teammates in Australia have had the opportunity to play in the County Championship and all of them only have positive things to say."

He described the job of replacing Peter Siddle at Essex, who will play for Somerset this year, as "big shoes to fill".

"He's someone we identified quite a while ago and his numbers for Queensland this year are phenomenal," added Essex head coach Anthony McGrath.

"We were keen to bring in another seam bowler to complement our bowling attack and I've got no doubt he'll be a great addition."

^{Steketee in action for Australia A against England Lions (Peter Wallis/Getty Images)}

His arrival follows that of Mick Lewis, a fellow Australian, as the county's new bowling coach, with Andre Nel having departed over the winter.

Steketee will form part of a potent attack, with Jamie Porter and Sam Cook two of the most consistent seamers on the county circuit. Cook was rewarded for his progression with England Lions recognition over the winter.

Over his career, Steketee has claimed 185 first-class wickets at an average of 25.8, with Queensland winning the Sheffield Shield title in two of the last four years. He is one of several Australian seamers due to line up in county cricket at the start of the summer, with Matt Kelly joining Northamptonshire, Michael Neser re-signing at Glamorgan and Jackson Bird representing Kent.