Warwickshire sign Sangakkara

Kumar Sangakkara has been in prolific form for Sri Lanka © Getty Images

Warwickshire have pulled off a major signing after agreeing terms to bring Kumar Sangakkara to Edgbaston. The club have recently lost the services of Martin Love, the Queensland batsman, after he sustained a serious knee injury. Dale Steyn and Paul Harris, the South African bowlers, will share the second overseas spot.

Sangakkara will be available for most of the summer, with only the Afro-Asia cup on the horizon for Sri Lanka at the World Cup and he said: "I am absolutely thrilled to have been offered an opportunity with Warwickshire. They are a great club with a long history and it will be a privilege to join them.

"During previous visits to England I have really enjoyed playing at Edgbaston and staying in Birmingham. I hope I can make a really significant contribution to a successful season."

Mark Greatbach, Warwickshire's director of coaching, added: "We are delighted to have secured one of the top players in the world so quickly after Martin Love's injury.

"Kumar Sangakkara has had an outstanding 12 months and is ranked in the top 10 batsmen in the world in both forms of international cricket. He is looking forward to taking that sort of form into our domestic season".

Sangakkara enjoyed an impressive 2006 where he averaged 69 in Test cricket including two centuries against New Zealand in Sri Lanka's final Tests of the year. He also scored 1208 runs at 43 in ODIs. However, his move to England is subject to ratification by the Sri Lankan board on February 6.

Steyn has also now agreed terms with Warwickshire and will be available from the start of the season until June 3. "We have a good crop of young bowlers at the club but we feel that Dale's extra pace can add something to our attack and hopefully help us to build some early season momentum," explained Greatbach.

The club are hoping to confirm that Harris, who was a Kolpak signing last summer, will replace Steyn from early June. Harris's recent Test selection means he now has to play as an overseas signing, but Warwickshire say they will be happy to have him back.

"Paul's selection for South Africa over recent weeks posed a bit of a problem but provided we are able to juggle our resources within the new regulations regarding overseas players we are keen to have him back," said chief executive Colin Povey. "Last summer he performed exceptionally well and his confidence is high after his international selection. We hope he will carry on where he left off last season".