Quiney joins Essex

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Essex have signed Australia top-order batsman Rob Quiney, who made his international debut in November, for at least the first half of the 2013 season.

Essex head coach Paul Grayson said the 30-year-old left-hander “will probably be with us until the end of the Friends Life t20 competition”, whose group stage finishes on July 31.

Quiney played in the first two Tests versus South Africa in 2012 as an injury replacement for Shane Watson, but managed just nine runs in three innings and made way for the third and final game.

Quiney has fared much better in four-day cricket, being named Australia’s 2011 domestic player of the year. He has a first-class batting average of 36.48 and a particularly impressive List A equivalent of 37.57. Having represented Rajasthan Royals in the 2009 Indian Premier League and Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League, his Twenty20 mark is a disappointing 16.74.

Rob Quiney has managed just nine runs in his three Test innings to date, but he has a respectable first-class batting average of 36.48

Quiney, who bowls right-arm medium pace, told www.essexcricket.org.uk: "I am delighted to have signed a contract to play for Essex this summer.

"The 2012/13 season has been an amazing one for me fulfilling my ambition of playing international cricket and I am now able to achieve one of my other major cricketing ambitions by playing county cricket.

"Having spoken to Paul Grayson, I am very excited about the plans for Essex this season and I look forward to helping our drive to securing silverware in 2013."

Grayson said: "It's an exciting signing for the club. Initially, he is coming over for the start of our season and will probably be with us until the end of the Friends Life t20 competition.

"We'll revisit the situation then because obviously Australia are touring over here and he wants to try and make a big impression with them.

“I've met Rob and spoken to him a few times; he's a quality player and a very good man who comes highly recommended from some good people that we know.

“He's desperate to play county cricket which is great for us and he comes across as an extremely good team player as well and we are delighted to bring him to the club. I'm sure he will have a positive impact on the team."

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