Malan Edgbaston arrival delayed due to visa problem

WARWICKSHIRE have confirmed that overseas signing Pieter Malan (pictured) is unavailable to start the LV= Insurance County Championship season.

The Bears will be without their 2021 signing, who was due to play for the entire season, because the player has not yet been issued with a visa to enter the United Kingdom.

Paul Farbrace, Warwickshire director of cricket, said: “South Africa is currently on the red list of travel ban countries because of the Covid pandemic, which has made Pieter’s travel arrangements incredibly complex.

“Whilst we have been able to identify routes and destinations for him to serve quarantine and safely enter the UK, unfortunately Pieter has not yet been granted a visa to enter the country, which will mean that he misses at least the opening game of the

Championship. It’s disappointing but we have excellent competition for places within the batting ranks, including the return of England opener Dom Sibley, and we look forward to starting the season this coming Thursday (in the Championship at Edgbaston against Derbyshire).”

It has been reported that Warwickshire are set to sign India batsman Hanuma Vihari as a temporary overseas replacement. Vihari, an India Test regular, does not have an IPL deal and is expected to be available for at least three Championship games.

The Indian authorities are understood to have agreed the deal in the hope that his experience in the county game will help ahead of June’s World Test Championship final, in Southampton, and India’s five-test tour of England that comes after.