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Cricket

Glamorgan sign Herschelle Gibbs for Twenty20 competition

19/04/2008

Glamorgan have announced the signing of South African batsman Herschelle Gibbs for this season's Twenty20 Cup.

The Welsh side have never qualified for the knock-out stages of the limited overs competition and finished bottom of their regional group last season.

Glamorgan's cricket manager Matthew Maynard said the addition of Gibbs would help their batting line-up become more explosive.

He said: "Herschelle has an outstanding track record, especially in the shorter form of the game, and I'm sure that our supporters will be eager to see [him] in action."

Gibbs said he was "hugely excited" about the role he was going to play in the side which will give him the chance to acclimatise to English conditions before South Africa's tour begins in July.

He said: "I am really excited to be joining Glamorgan for the Twenty20 Cup in 2008, which will also be my first experience of county cricket."

Gibbs, who is currently playing in the Indian Premier League for Hyderabad, feels that having been playing Twenty20 for six weeks before joining Glamorgan he should be in good form when the English competition starts.

"I will be coming straight from our Pro20 competition in South Africa and then the Indian Premier League, so I will be in the perfect Twenty20 mindset to help drive the Glamorgan team toward finals day, and hopefully some silverware," said Gibbs.

Gibbs will replace Australian bowler Jason Gillespie for the limited period of the Twenty20 competition.

Maynard felt that this would give Gillespie the chance to rest and come back strongly for the end of the County Championship season.