YORKSHIRE have pulled off a coup with the capture of South African maestro Herschelle Gibbs as their Twenty20 specialist.

The 35-year-old batsman will arrive in time for the first Friends Provident 20-over game with Durham on June 10, and will be available for the rest of the campaign.

The announcement comes a week after the club revealed New Zealand bowler Daryl Tuffey would be the early season replacement for Ryan Harris.

“I’m really looking forward to playing over there, and I’ll hopefully help to lead the troops towards some success,”

said Gibbs.

“I’ve always enjoyed playing cricket in the UK, and have very good memories of Headingley as I got my first World Cup hundred there in 1999.”

Not only is Gibbs an explosive talent with the bat at the top of the order in the limited overs arena, but he is also a superb fielder at backward point.

He has played 246 one-day internationals, 20 Twenty20 internationals and 90 Test matches for the Proteas.

At the 2007 50-over World Cup in the West Indies, he smashed Dutch spinner Dan van Bunge for six sixes in an over.

Meanwhile, new England boy Craig Kieswetter wants to work with Matt Prior rather than against him in a bid to make England’s wicketkeeping options the envy of world cricket.

Like Prior, Kieswetter is a South Africa-born gloveman with stacks of confidence and both men have forged reputations as aggressive strokemakers at the crease.

‘‘I think Matt Prior is doing a great job at the moment, he’s really taking England keeping up a level,’’ said Kieswetter.

‘‘It’s becoming more full-on, wicket-keeping. Matt’s been working really hard with (former Test wicketkeeper) Bruce French and I’ve been lucky enough to work with him as well.”