Stephen Cook: South Africa batsman joins Durham as overseas player

Stephen Cook has a first-class average of 41.17 and has hit 40 centuries

Durham have signed South Africa batsman Stephen Cook for the first half of the 2017 season.

He has joined as an overseas signing, rather than on a Kolpak deal.

The 34-year-old will play in the County Championship and One-Day Cup games and then is expected to be included in the South Africa squad to face England in their four-Test series this summer.

Cook has played nine Tests for his country after his debut against England in January 2016, when he hit a century.

"Ever since I was a young boy, watching my dad (Jimmy Cook) play for Somerset, I always dreamed of one day playing county cricket," he said.

"Now in linking up with Durham I am getting to live out that dream."

Durham were relegated from Division One of the County Championship over financial issues last season and will start the campaign with a 48-point deduction.