Somerset confirm move for Vernon Philander on Kolpak deal

Somerset have confirmed that they have agreed personal terms with South Africa seamer Vernon Philander ahead of his signing as a Kolpak player, although the club do not expect to complete the signing until the new year.

It had been widely reported that Philander would move to the county following news of his international retirement at the end of the ongoing Test series against England, and the seamer mentioned in a post-match press conference on Friday that he was on the cusp of joining on a "year-by-year basis".

Somerset confirmed in a club statement that they are on the verge of signing Philander, and that they will be "working through all of the necessary processes with the ECB in order to be able to register him as a Kolpak player" following this series. "The official paperwork required to complete the deal is being finalised with the ECB," the club said. "[We are] working towards the full procedure being completed successfully in the New Year."