Leicestershire sign New Zealander Elliott for T20

Leicestershire have signed New Zealand allrounder Grant Elliott as their second overseas player for the NatWest T20 Blast.

Elliott, the 35-year-old whose international career has come almost exclusively in one-day cricket, is currently part of New Zealand's World Cup challenge. He will be available for 10 matches but potentially more pending his selection on New Zealand's tour of England.

He has scored 1102 T20 runs at 26.23 with a strike rate of 136.04. He will hope to help Leicestershire into the quarter-finals, having previously enjoyed great success in the shortest format as a largely unfancied outfit.

"I'm really excited to be a Fox this season and I'm looking make some valuable contributions with both bat and ball," Elliott said. "Leicestershire will have a new look for 2015 and I'm ready to play my part."

Wasim Khan, chief executive of Leicestershire and Rutland Cricket added: "We are delighted to have somebody of Grant's calibre with us for our NatWest T20 Blast campaign. His experience will be invaluable to us in the new era for Leicestershire.

"Grant is a fine middle-order batsman and also offers us good options with the ball and in the field. We have two high quality overseas players in Grant and Clint McKay and it will be great to see them in action together."