Durham sign Keegan Petersen for first half of County Championship season

Durham have signed Keegan Petersen, the South Africa top-order batter, as one of their overseas players for 2022.

Petersen, who made his Test debut last year, is expected to be available for seven County Championship fixtures. He missed South Africa's current tour of New Zealand after contracting Covid-19, but is likely to be involved in their home series against Bangladesh, with two Tests scheduled for early April.

He will then join up with Durham ahead of their trip to Leicestershire in the second round of Championship games, with his final appearance set to be against Worcestershire in mid-June.

"We're very pleased to have secured the quality of Keegan Petersen for the first block of county cricket in 2022," Durham's director of cricket, Marcus North, said. "Keegan will add further strength to the top our batting line-up and joins the club on the back of a successful period with South Africa.

"He is in a great place with his cricket having, last year, broke into the South African Test side; we look forward to welcoming Keegan to Durham in April."

Petersen, 28, debuted in the West Indies last year and went on to play a key role in South Africa's recent Test win over India, making scores of 62, 72 and 82 in four innings as they came from behind to take the series 2-1. His spell with Durham could prove beneficial ahead of South Africa's Test series in England later in the summer.

Overall, Petersen has scored more than 6000 runs in first-class cricket, at an average of 40.93. He will link up at Durham with compatriot David Bedingham, who was the county's leading run-scorer in 2021 with 1029 at 60.52.

"It's exciting to join a county like Durham and I look forward to linking up with the squad and having a successful contribution during my time in the north east," Petersen said.