Roelof van der Merwe signs contract extension at Somerset

The Netherlands international was due to be out of contract at the end of the season, but his new deal will take him through to the end of the 2021 season

Roleof van der Merwe has signed a contract extension with Somerset that will see the allrounder remain at Taunton for a further two years.

The Netherlands international was due to be out of contract at the end of the season, but his new deal will take him through to the end of the 2021 season.

The 34-year-old, who has been included in his country’s squad for the T20 World Cup Qualifier, which begins in October, initially joined Somerset on a short-term agreement in 2011. He subsequently returned in 2016 and has since earned his county cap on the back of a series of terrific performancs in both red-ball and white-ball cricket.

In 2017, he struck an unbeaten 165 as Somerset chased down an unlikely 291 to beat Surrey, having entered the fray with his side 22 for five. Two years later, he played a key part in Somerset’s Royal London Cup success.

Van der Merwe said: “I’m absolutely delighted for this opportunity to be a part of the Somerset family for another two years.

“I love playing for this club and I’m really looking forward to playing cricket in front of amazing home support that we get every week.

“I hope that I can continue to contribute to more team success over the next couple of seasons.”

Somerset director of cricket, Andy Hurry added: “Roelof played a huge part in this season’s Royal London One-Day Cup victory and his performances have more than warranted this extension.

“He is a match-winner with both bat and ball whilst his energy and enthusiasm in the field have been a real driving force behind our success over the last few years.

“The young players coming into the squad will learn a huge amount from Roelof because he is an outstanding team-man and epitomises everything that this Club is about both on and off the field.”