Kent make move for Bandara

Malinga Bandara, who knows Kent coach Paul Farbrace well from the Sri Lanka set-up, will join him at Canterbury in May

Malinga Bandara will join Kent for the second half of this season, following the departure of main overseas signing Stuart Clark.

The Sri Lanka leg-spinner will arrive during the Friends Provident t20 campaign in late May and share overseas duties with Australia fast bowler Stuart Clark, who is scheduled to be with Kent for the early part of the season.

Bandara will be the second permitted overseas player in Twenty20 matches and will take over as the sole overseas player in other competitions when Clark departs.

The 30-year-old worked heavily with new Kent team director Paul Farbrace when he was assistant coach of Sri Lanka.

Farbrace said: "I'm absolutely delighted that such a high quality cricketer has chosen to join Kent.

"I'm thrilled at the prospect of him teaming up with James Tredwell and creating a high quality spin attack. Malinga is an experienced cricketer and will add great knowledge to our team; both on and off the field."

Bandara, who made his Test debut in 1998, has taken 391 first-class wickets at an average of 24.96. He had a spell as overseas player at Gloucestershire in 2005.

Bandara has found his way into the Sri Lanka team blocked by Muttiah Muralitharan, Ajantha Mendis and Rangana Herath in recent times, but in eight Tests and 35 limited-overs matches he has marked himself as a threatening bowler.