Australian-born Netherlands international batsman Tom Cooper is set for his first taste of county cricket after signing for Somerset for the duration of the 2015 season.
The 28-year-old has recently played Sheffield Shield cricket for South Australia and featured in the Big Bash League for Melbourne Renegades.
He has scored 2,967 runs in 46 first-class matches, averaging 39.56, including five centuries and a top score of 203 not out.
A former Australia Under-19 player, New South Wales-born Cooper has also appeared in international cricket for Netherlands.
Cooper, whose mother is Dutch, has won 38 caps and featured in the 2011 World Cup and 2014 World Twenty20, helping Netherlands beat England in the latter.
He has an impressive limited-overs record on the world stage, hitting 976 runs at 48.80 in 23 one-day internationals and 389 at 32.41 in 15 T20s.
Cooper, who will use his European passport to play as a non-overseas player, said: “I am really pleased to have signed to play cricket for Somerset in 2015.
“I have always wanted to play county cricket in England and have heard a lot about Somerset so I am looking forward to getting going in April.”
Cooper is Matthew Maynard’s third signing, after the arrival of Pakistan spinner Abdur Rehman and Jim Allenby from Glamorgan, since taking over as director of cricket at Somerset.
His arrivals boosts a batting line-up lacking Nick Compton, who has joined Middlesex, and the injured Craig Kieswetter.
Maynard said: “It is really good news that Tom has joined us for this season. He is a highly-regarded batsman with a really good track record in all forms of the game and will be a great addition to our squad.”
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