91Èȱ¬

Worcestershire have signed West Indies fast bowler Alzarri Joseph for the first seven games of the 2021 County Championship season.

The 24-year-old Antiguan is scheduled to arrive after the West Indies' Test series with Sri Lanka ends on 2 April.

"He's a quality performer," now the Pears' cricket steering group chairman.

Worcestershire's coaching staff have injury concerns over fellow fast bowlers Josh Tongue and Pat Brown.

Those worries have come on top of also losing Wayne Parnell to Northamptonshire.

"With it looking like Josh Tongue and Pat Brown may not be match fit for the start of the season, head coach Alex Gidman and club captain Joe Leach both felt they needed another seamer," added Pridgeon.

Worcestershire's season is scheduled to start against 2019 and 2020 red-ball kings Essex at Chelmsford, followed by a trip to Derbyshire.

Joseph has a chance of playing against Essex at Chelmsford on 8 April, but that is subject to Covid-19 restrictions and quarantine - and it is more likely that he would make his debut at Derby on 15 April.

The Pears' first two home games are against Nottinghamshire and Essex, which would both be switched to Kidderminster if New Road has not recovered on time from its winter flood damage.

Joseph has taken 34 wickets in his 14 Tests for the West Indies, as well as a further 54 in 34 one-day internationals.

He is also a useful batsman, having hit half-centuries in two of his past three Test appearances, 86 against New Zealand in Hamilton and 82 in Dhaka against Bangladesh.

He also took 6-12 on his Mumbai Indians debut against Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Indian Premier League in 2019 - the best bowling figures in the competition's 14-year history.

"When I heard the club was interested in me, I had no hesitation," said Joseph. "I'm really looking forward to working with bowling coach Alan Richardson."