New Zealand pace man Shane Bond has signed a contract to replace Shaun Pollock as Warwickshire's overseas player for 3 weeks in August to allow the South African captain to take part in a cricketing tournament in Morocco.

The twenty seven year old right arm fast bowler from Christchurch will be available for the Bears for the start of their Frizzell County Championship match against Yorkshire at Headingley, and could make his home debut for Warwickshire on 14 August against Kent. The contract length also includes Warwickshire's home clash with local neighbours Worcestershire in a floodlit Norwich Union League match at Edgbaston on Monday 19 August.

The Kiwi's rising new star burst onto the International scene at the end of the 2001 season against Australia and most recently was at the centre of New Zealand's first-ever test victory in the West Indies when he claimed 5 wickets for 78 in Bridgetown, Barbados to bowl his side into a 204 run win with a day to spare.

His explosive pace have made him a target for a number of English county sides, and so Warwickshire are more than delighted to welcome him to Edgbaston during the all-important run-in towards the end of the season.

Shane is allowed to play under the new England & Wales Cricket Board regulations which states that Counties may replace their overseas player at times during the season when they are called up for international duty or unavailable for any length of time due to injury.

© Warwickshire CCC