Chawla set for Surrey stint

India leg-spinner Piyush Chawla oozed class during his spell for Sussex in 2009 and will be looking forward to attempting to reproduce his superb form for Surrey in 2010

Surrey have unveiled the signing of India leg-spinner Piyush Chawla as their overseas player for the 2010 season.

Chawla, 20, already has an enviable record in English domestic cricket, having snared 36 LV= County Championship wickets at an averages of 27 for Sussex during one of his two stints at Hove this year.

Chawla, who has played two Tests as well as 21 one-day internationals, burst on to the county scene when, in his first game for Sussex, he made 102 not out from just 86 balls batting at number nine against Worcestershire.

He took 6-152 in the same match before backing up his potential with match figures of 11-170 against Somerset.

His prolific wicket-taking continued as he captured 9-49 off 87 overs against Yorkshire later in the season, going on to represent Sussex in the ongoing Champions League Twenty20.

Chawla is due to arrive at Surrey at the conclusion of his spell with Indian Premier League franchise Kings XI Punjab.

He will link up at the Brit Oval with fellow spinner Gareth Batty, another close-season signing by the county from Worcestershire.

Surrey professional cricket manager Chris Adams said: “There were two clear objectives in picking our overseas signing for next season.

“I wanted the player to be of true international class and I wanted them to be able to commit to spending the vast majority of their season with us – Piyush fulfils both requirements handsomely.

“There is a fine spin tradition at Surrey which runs from Jim Laker and Tony Lock to Ian Salisbury, Harbhajan Singh and Saqlain Mushtaq and I hope our latest arrival will one day take his place alongside those names.”

Managing director of cricket Gus Mackay added: “I am very pleased we can announce the signing of a world-class overseas player so early in our pre-season schedule.

“The knowledge of this signing will bring a solidity to our preparations that can only be highly beneficial.”