Ajmal Shahzad: Sussex sign Nottinghamshire pace bowler

Shahzad took 18 wickets at an average of 40.55 in eight Championship appearances in 2014

Sussex have signed Nottinghamshire pace bowler Ajmal Shahzad on a three-year contract after he was released from his deal at Trent Bridge a year early.

The 29-year-old, who played one Test match for England in 2010, has signed a deal until the end of the 2017 season.

"It has come about quickly but I'm just delighted to be down here," he said.

"This move has been made purely for cricketing reasons and I'm hoping to get the best I can out of it to progress my career."

He added: "I'd like to thank Notts for being so understanding."

Shahzad, whose sole Test appearances came against Bangladesh at Old Trafford, has also played 11 one-day internationals and three Twenty20 matches for England.

He has been at Trent Bridge for the last two seasons, having started his career at Yorkshire and had a loan spell at Lancashire in 2012.

The Huddersfield-born right-armer took 18 wickets at an average of 40.55 in eight County Championship appearances in 2014 and added 11 wickets in the One-Day Cup and 13 in the T20 Blast.

He has taken 201 first-class wickets at an average of 35.52 over the course of his career.

Sussex's cricket manager Mark Robinson described Shahzad as "a cricketer of great ability".

"He hasn't yet fulfilled all of his potential," Robinson said. "He can bowl with a yard of pace and has the potential to be a genuine bowling all-rounder.

"We hope he can have a similar impact that Chris Jordan had, and fulfil the same role helping balance the team."