Durham sign batsmen Aiden Markram and Tom Latham as overseas players for 2018

Aiden Markram scored Test centuries against Bangladesh and Zimbabwe for South Africa in 2017

Durham have signed South Africa's Aiden Markram and New Zealand's Tom Latham as overseas players for the 2018 season.

Markram, 23, will arrive for the start of the season and play in the County Championship until May.

Latham, who also played for Durham last season, will then take over and captain the side in the One-Day Cup.

"I am confident they will both contribute to what we hope will be a successful season," said Durham chairman Sir Ian Botham.

Markram averages 52 in six Test matches for South Africa, having scored two hundreds and two fifties, and he also captained the Proteas during their recent one-day series against India because of an injury to Faf du Plessis.

The opener will be available for four Division Two matches against Kent, Leicestershire, Northants and Derbyshire before the One-Day Cup starts on 18 May.

"Aiden offers confidence and maturity at the top of the batting order and despite being just 23-years-old he has already been recognised by South Africa as a leader in the dressing room," Botham said.

Latham, meanwhile, returns after scoring 382 runs at an average of 63.67 in four County Championship matches for Durham in 2017.

"He has a wealth of international experience and brings exceptional batting, fielding and leadership skills into the dressing room," Botham added.

Durham, who will be without Latham, Ben Stokes and Mark Wood for the start of the season because of international commitments and the Indian Premier League, are still looking for an overseas player for the T20 Blast.