ACCRINGTON Cricket Club have signed up Andre Seymore as their professional for the Transco Lancashire League season which starts a week on Sunday.

The Thorneyholme club were rocked by the late withdrawal of Ashwell Prince through a shoulder injury and have been working hard in the last week to find a replacement.

South African officials warned Prince that he may not be considered for a central contract if he decided to come to England. They wanted him to stay in South Africa and receive treatment and he agreed.

Accrington have now signed Seymore, a 27-year-old from Easterns in South Africa.

"We are pleased to have him at this late stage," said Accrington chairman Peter Barratt.

"He was going to go elsewhere - he was signed up for a club in Bristol - but then they gave backword and so we jumped in.

"He is delighted to be coming here. He has played over in England before so we are hoping he will settle in well."

Seymore, a right hand bat, has scored almost 3,000 runs in 98 innings in first class cricket, with an average of 29.98 and a high score of 174.

He has scored four centuries and 18 50s. In limited overs cricket he has scored 1,105 runs in 36 games at an average of 37 per game.

He has barely bowled at either first class or limited overs cricket in South Africa.