Somerset sign Matthew Wade for first half of 2020 campaign

Subject to receiving a no-objection certificate, Wade will be available for the first seven County Championship matches of the campaign

Somerset have signed Australia batsman Matthew Wade for the first half of the 2020 season.

The 31-year-old scored two centuries as Tim Paine’s side retained the Ashes last summer and he will be available for the first seven County Championship matches of the campaign, beginning with the club’s first match against Warwickshire.

Somerset will begin the year with a 12-point deduction after being found guilty of breaching pitch regulations during their title-deciding draw against Essex in September, with the Chelmsford county clinching the draw they needed to claim their second title in three years.

Wade has featured in 29 Tests, scoring over 1,300 runs at an average of 31.45 with a highest score of 117, which came against England at The Oval in September. His first-class record has seen the left-hander score almost 8,000 runs in his 145 games at an average of 41.25 with a top score of 152. Having kept wicket through much of his career, he has also become a useful seam-bowling option.

Over the course of the Ashes series, Wade scored 337 runs – a figure only surpassed by Steve Smith and Marnus Labuschagne. He has also captained Tasmania and led Victoria to a pair of Sheffield Shield crowns.

Wade is the latest in a line of batting overseas players at Taunton; in 2019, the county welcomed Azhar Ali, Babar Azam and Murali Vijay to the club.

^{Wade made two centuries druing the summer's Ashes series}

Somerset director of cricket Andy Hurry said: “When you’re signing an overseas player, there are a number of criteria that you need to think about. You want your overseas to be a world class performer, but you also need to look at what they will bring off the field.

“You want someone who is a leader on the pitch and someone who buys in to the club ethos. Matthew Wade will tick every single box.

“He was outstanding for Australia this summer with the bat and his record speaks for itself. We are delighted to have secured a player of his calibre for our opening seven County Championship matches of 2020.”

Wade added: “It’s an exciting challenge and one that I’m looking forward to. I got a good taste of English conditions last summer and it’ll be good to come back over and to hopefully contribute to Somerset winning matches in the County Championship.

“Somerset have got an excellent squad and I’m looking forward to meeting up with the guys and to getting out on the pitch with them.

“I’m told that Somerset have a bit of a history of Australian players doing well for the Club, so hopefully I can add my name to that list.”

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