SOUTH African all-rounder Aviwe Mgijima is on his way to Sidmouth next season as the Fortfield club’s new overseas player.

Defending champions Sidmouth decided not to have an overseas player last season, figuring they had enough talent in the club to go without, but the decision backfired.

Sidmouth finished a very distant third in the table, 76 points behind new champions Bovey Tracey, and appeared to be a bowler light.

Torquay and Paignton – the two relegated clubs – took more wickets than Sidmouth did over the course of the season.

Sidmouth hope Mgijima’s right-arm medium-fast bowling coupled with his batting will prevent them finishing among the also-rans again.

Mgijima, who will be 30 during next season, has played First Class and List A cricket for Border, Western Province and currently Cape Cobras.

J P Duminy, the South African Test and one-day batsman who had a Devon League season with Exmouth in 2003, is a team-mate of Mgijima’s in the Cobras’ side.

In 54 First Class appearances he has made 13 half-centuries and a maiden ton for the Cobras earlier this season against the Knighgs in the Sunfoil Series. There have been 50 wickets at a shade under 32 runs each.

Mgijima’s List A record is 585 runs in 44 games – average 17.20 – and 19 wickets at exactly 20 runs each.

He was a late arrival in T20 cricket and has a modest pro record, averaging 11.30 with the bat and 26.18 with the ball.