O'Brien joins Somerset for t20 stint

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Having signed the man with the fastest Twenty20 international hundred for this year’s Friends Life t20, Somerset have added the holder of the World Cup’s quickest century.

Joining South Africa batsman Richard Levi at Taunton is Ireland batting all-rounder Kevin O’Brien. Levi struck unbeaten 117 off 51 balls versus New Zealand in February, nearly a year after O’Brien flayed 113 from 63 deliveries against England.

Kevin O'Brien, who hit a 52-ball 119 for Gloucestershire versus Middlesex, has joined Somerset for their first five FLt20 matches

O’Brien, who does not count as an overseas player and can therefore play alongside Levi and his fellow South African Albie Morkel, has signed for Somerset’s first five games of the competition.

The 28-year-old represented Gloucestershire in last year’s FLt20, scoring 365 runs in 14 innings at a strike rate of 161.5. That included 119 from 52 balls against Middlesex at Uxbridge.

Somerset hope that kind of hitting can help them go one better than the last three years when they have been domestic Twenty20 runners-up.

Somerset director of cricket Brian Rose said on his club’s website: “Kevin is a very attractive batsman who can score his runs very quickly and will add to our already exciting batting line-up.

“He will join overseas players Richard Levi and Albie Morkel in the team to face Warwickshire in our opening FLt20 game on Wednesday.”

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