Warwickshire: Yorkshire's Oliver Hannon-Dalby joins Bears

County champions Warwickshire have made their first signing of the winter by bringing in 6ft 8ins Yorkshire fast bowler Oliver Hannon-Dalby.

The 23-year-old Halifax-born seamer will join up with the Bears officially from 1 March before flying to Barbados for their pre-season training camp.

Warwickshire have signed Hannon-Dalby to cover potential international calls.

"It's essential that we're prepared for more call-ups, so Oliver is a great addition," said coach Dougie Brown.

"Chris Woakes, Chris Wright, Boyd Rankin and Rikki Clarke all featured in England's winter touring squads.

"We first saw Oliver close up at the start of the 2010 season when he took five wickets against us in a Championship match at Edgbaston.

"Whilst he's struggled to consistently hold a place in the Yorkshire first XI, we recognise that his ability to swing the ball from such a great height adds something different to our pace attack."

Hannon-Dalby has impressed highly-rated Bears bowling coach Graeme Welch during a fortnight-long trial in the county's indoor centre at Edgbaston.

"He's working well with Graeme Welch," added Brown. "And we hope he can continue to develop here in the same way that our current fast bowlers have."

Hannon-Dalby joins a Bears squad still bristling with confidence after last summer's Championship triumph and their near miss in the CB40 final against Hampshire at Lord's.

"Warwickshire were outstanding in first-class and one-day cricket last season," said Hannon-Dalby. "Whilst I'm sad to be leaving my home county, I'm very excited about the new challenge ahead.

"The new facilities at Edgbaston are amongst the best in world cricket and we've got a great squad that's capable of challenging for honours in all formats of the game.

"With the support of the Warwickshire coaching team, Chris Wright and Keith Barker were two of the best bowlers on the county circuit in 2012 and I hope that by working hard in all areas that I can develop and enjoy similar levels of success."