Pollard adds power to Sabres roster

Somerset will be the latest club to benefit from Kieron Pollard's power-hitting, after a stint with South Australia this winter

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Somerset have snapped up explosive West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard as an overseas player for this season’s Friends Provident t20.

Pollard, 22, will share the overseas duties with India spinner Murali Kartik and Australia all-rounder Cameron White for the competition, which starts on June 1 and runs through July.

Counties are permitted to register four overseas players, and can play two in any one game.

Pollard has made his mark as a ferocious hitter in Twenty20 cricket, memorably smashing 54 off 18 balls for Trinidad and Tobago against New South Wales in the 2009 Champions League Twenty20, a tournament in which Somerset also competed.

Somerset director of cricket Brian Rose explained the rationale for Pollard’s signing: “Over the course of 16 games in our own Twenty20 competition he is guaranteed to have a huge influence.

“It's possible he might miss the first game, but after that we believe he will be available for every fixture.

“Cameron may have to miss some games if he is called into Australia's squad for a one-day series against Pakistan and that is another reason we have signed Kieron.

“Our batting line-up in the Twenty20 is a mouthwatering prospect and there could be some tough selection decisions. That is the way we want it."

“I was impressed by the whole Trinidad and Tobago team in that tournament (Champions League). Their professionalism and athleticism were exemplary.

“Kieron showed himself to be the sort of player who can change a game in a very short period of time. He played consistently well and produced some amazing shots.”

Aside from his exploits with Trinidad, Pollard has also established himself as a useful all-rounder for West Indies in limited-overs cricket, playing 15 one-day internationals and 10 Twenty20 matches to date.

An ever-present against England in last winter’s one-day series in the Caribbean, his stifling medium-pace often tied the tourists down.

He has also recently served with success as an overseas player for South Australia Redbacks in this winter's KFC Twenty20 Big Bash tournament.