Cricket: Auckland sign Myburgh

Auckland have snapped up classy South African batsman Johan Myburgh to boost their resources for the coming season.

He is switching from Canterbury, where he impressed in the last three first-class seasons, racking up over 2100 runs at an average of 51.71.

Auckland's concern has been a shortage of experienced batsmen, with the retirement of Richard Jones, the departure to Northern Districts of Scott Styris, and the likely absence for much of the international season of captain Gareth Hopkins and top order batsmen Martin Guptill and Tim McIntosh.

The 29-year-old Myburgh's signing follows the switch north of Otago lefthander Greg Todd and will certainly bolster Auckland's batting options.

"We saw him as being ideal to fill that experience gap in our batting so we're very happy," Auckland chief executive Andrew Eade said yesterday.

Myburgh becomes eligible to play for New Zealand after the World Cup next year.

Throw in fellow South Africans wicketkeeper Kruger van Wyk and Otago left arm quick Neil Wagner and the makeup, and accent, of New Zealand's test team could be significantly different in a couple of years.