Warwickshire sign Pieter Malan as overseas player for County Championship

Warwickshire begin their red-ball season against Derbyshire on April 8, with Malan due to be available for all of the county’s four-day fixtures

Warwickshire have signed South African batsman Pieter Malan as an overseas player for their County Championship campaign.

The 31-year-old has 10,691 first-class runs to his name and impressed on his Test debut against England at the start of 2020, though he has not played international cricket since that series.

Warwickshire begin their red-ball season against Derbyshire on April 8, with Malan due to be available for all of the county’s four-day fixtures.

“Pieter is a very good signing for us,” said Warwickshire director of cricket Paul 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.

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“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 added: “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. I can’t wait to get to Edgbaston and get started with the Bears.”

The signing of the Cape Cobras batsman follows the announcement on Monday that the club had secured the services of West Indies allrounder for their T20 Blast campaign. Malan fills the void left by Ian Bell, who retired at the end of last season.