Durham sign three bowlers to ease injury crisis

In an effort to mend their bowling attack’s injury crisis in the first half of the season, Durham has signed three bowlers.

Codi Yusuf, a bowler from South Africa, will start in the T20 Blast group stages and their next six championship games.

While England’s Jake Ball and Jack Blatherwick have signed 14-day loan deals with Somerset and Lancashire, respectively, to participate in their first two Championship games.

On Friday, all three will be able to make their Worcestershire debut.

In his best-ever season, right-arm seamer Yusuf, 27, recently took 26 wickets for the Lions in his home first-class competition.

With the injury to David Bedingham’s toe sprained in South Africa against Warwickshire, Yusuf is eligible to play alongside Australian international player Brendan Doggett.

Ball, 34, who has played four Test matches for England, hasn’t played a Championship game since August, while Blatherwick, 26, who plays fast medium right, has played three games for Lancashire in Division One last year.