Auckland sign Johann Myburgh

Auckland have signed South African batsman Johann Myburgh for the 2010-11 domestic season, an addition that will strengthen a squad weakened by a shortage of experienced batsmenundefined.

Myburgh and Greg Todd, who is also shifting to Auckland from Otago, will bolster an Auckland batting line-up that was depleted by Richard Jones' retirement and Scott Styris' departure for Northern Districts. Auckland are also likely to be without their captain Gareth Hopkins as well as batsmen Martin Guptill and Tim McIntosh, who could all be on international duty.

"We saw him [Myburgh] as being ideal to fill that experience gap in our batting so we're very happy," Auckland chief executive Andrew Eade told the New Zealand Herald.

Myburgh averaged 51.71 in three previous first-class seasons with Canterbury and scored over 2100 runs. He will be eligible to play for New Zealand after the 2011 World Cup.