Marchant de Lange: Glamorgan sign South Africa paceman on three-year deal

Marchant de Lange took 7-81 on his Test debut against Sri Lanka in Durban in December 2011

Glamorgan have signed South Africa fast bowler Marchant de Lange, 26, on a three-year contract.

He has been granted a UK visa because his wife holds a British passport.

"He's got a bit of X-factor, he's a match-winner," said Glamorgan head coach Robert Croft. "He's got pace, and he's got aggression."

De Lange has played in two Tests, four one-day internationals and six Twenty20 internationals, claiming a total of 26 wickets for his country.

However, by joining Glamorgan as a non-overseas player, he has ended his international career with the Proteas for the time being. If he were to return to the national side, he would need to give up his county deal - or re-register as an overseas player.

Glamorgan had initially hoped to sign De Lange under the Kolpak ruling, which allows players from countries with associate trade agreements with the European Union to not be classed as overseas players - but he did not meet the criteria of international matches played.

Playing on a UK visa leaves him free to represent Glamorgan as a non-overseas player in all competitions - but leaves him unable to play as a "local" player in more than one country's domestic competition, so he would be classed as an overseas player if he returned to South African domestic cricket.

De Lange made his domestic debut in South Africa for Easterns in 2010, while his most recent cricket was helping Knights to the semi-final of South Africa's one-day tournament in March.

"He's at the right age and stage of his career to come across here and make an impact for us," Croft told BBC Wales Sport.

"When you're looking at winning matches in four-day cricket, 20 wickets is the challenge and he's a wicket-taker, but his form in one-day cricket has been very good as well."

De Lange could make his debut in the opening Championship match against Northamptonshire at Northampton on Friday, 7 April,

Glamorgan chief executive Hugh Morris told the club's AGM that the county would be unlikely to sign another overseas player for the T20 Blast unless financial projections improve.