Taylor lasted just three balls on his debut against Lancashire last Friday

Durham batsman Ross Taylor is hopeful that overseas imports to the FP t20 are having a positive effect on English county cricket.

Kiwi Taylor, one of Durham's two imports for this year's competition, is confident that adding big names to domestic talent can prove a big draw.

"Adding a couple of internationals into each side strengthens the competition," Taylor told BBC Newcastle.

"Hopefully we can attract a few people to come and watch the games."

Taylor is not the first New Zealand player to play for Durham.

After making his debut against Lancashire last week, he followed in the footsteps of Nathan Astle, Paul Wiseman and Scott Styris.

And the big-hitting Kiwi, who made New Zealand's fastest ever Test century from just 81 deliveries against Australia in April, revealed that he sought their wisdom before opting for the North East.

"I've spoken to Scott Styris and Paul Wiseman," he said. "And when I was playing in the Indian Premier League I asked a few people about Durham and no-one had a bad word to say about the place and the team.

"It was a nice thing to hear for someone who didn't know an awful lot about Durham."

The 26-year-old Wellington-born right-hander has impressed in the Twenty20 game with Indian Premier League side Royal Challengers Bangalore.

He also had several tastes of England, having played club cricket for Norwich and Coltishall Wanderers in Norfolk.

He also twice represented the MCC and played four ICC World Twenty20 warm-up games in England last summer.

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