Tuffey covers for Harris

Daryl Tuffey will provide cover for Ryan Harris during the early stages of Yorkshire's 2010 domestic campaign

Yorkshire have signed New Zealand seamer Daryl Tuffey as a short-term replacement for Ryan Harris.

Tuffey, 31, will deputise during the early part of the season when Australian Harris is on Indian Premier League duty for Deccan Chargers.

A wholehearted medium-fast bowler, Tuffey has taken 70 wickets at an average of 30.79 in 24 Tests. He has also played 85 one-day internationals and two Twenty20 internationals, and toured England with New Zealand in 2004.

“It’s a great opportunity for myself to come over to Yorkshire and advance and develop my cricket,” he said. “I haven’t played county cricket before and it’s always something I’ve wanted to do.

“I’ve now got the opportunity to come over to Yorkshire which is pretty rich in its cricket tradition.

“It’s going to be exciting to join up with a young squad and I’m looking forward to passing on a few tips from the experience I’ve gained in Test and first-class cricket.

"I’m really looking forward to the challenge and I’m sure I will enjoy it.”

Martyn Moxon, director of professional cricket at Yorkshire, said: “We felt it was important to have an experienced overseas bowler at the club in the period before Ryan Harris joins us in May.

“We have a young bowling attack in 2010 and the knowledge and wickets that Daryl can provide us with will be vital if we are to get off to a good start in the LV= County Championship.

“Daryl is keen to join us, even if only in a short-term capacity, and I’m sure some of our young bowlers will learn a lot from him.”

The group stages of the IPL run from March 12 to April 19, meaning Harris will miss the first two LV= County Championship games of the season, and possibly four if Deccan reach the final on April 25.