LONDON, Jan 10: Australian batsman Michael Bevan has agreed to join Leicestershire on a one-year contract, the English county said Thursday.

The 31-year-old left-hander, widely regarded as the best specialist one-day batsman in the world, will replace Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi as Leicestershire’s overseas player in 2002.

Bevan, who has also played for English counties Sussex and Yorkshire, averages over 57 in 164 One-day Internationals.

The last of his 18 Test appearances was in January 1998.

He is also a useful slow left-arm bowler, with Test best figures of six for 82.—Reuters