The fast-scoring Jayasuriya may well enjoy conditions at Taunton

Star Sri Lankan batsman Sanath Jayasuriya will join Somerset for a month between late April and late June.

He will fill in for South Africa's Graeme Smith, who will then captain the side for the remainder of the season.

"This is a very exciting short-term signing," the county's chief executive Peter Anderson said.

Jayasuriya said: "This is the first time I will be playing county cricket - and to start off with Somerset is simply marvellous."

Jayasuriya, 35, had previously been linked with the Scottish Saltires, but they decided not to follow-up their initial interest.

He will be available for five County Championship fixtures, four Totesport League matches and the early rounds of the C&G Trophy.

The 35-year-old will first appear on 20 April at Headingley for the four-day match against Yorkshire before being relieved by Smith on 29 May.

The left-hander added: "I have heard the great dressing room the lads have and I also know they are a very good side. For me, I intend to make maximum use of the opportunity."

Jayasuriya has played in 94 Tests, averaging 43.45 with the bat and taking 89 wickets with his left-arm spin.

Nixon McLean took 43 wickets for Somerset in the 2004 season

He has also played in more one-day internationals than all but three players in world cricket, with 334 appearances.

It is shaping up to be a golden summer for Sri Lankans in English domestic cricket, with Upul Chandana (Gloucestershire), Chaminda Vaas (Worcestershire) and Muttiah Muralitharan (Lancashire) all contracted.

Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene are also reported to be looking for opportunities.

"With Chaminda Vaas [Worcestershire], Upul Chandana [Gloucestershire], Muttiah Muralitharan [Lancashire] and myself already confirmed - it might after all be a Sri Lankan summer, at least in the first one-and-a-half months," Jayasuriya said.

"I think we need to make an impression which would open ways for more quality Sri Lanka players to enter the circuit."

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Meanwhile, West Indies paceman Nixon McLean has been signed as the second overseas player with South African Albie Morkel unavailable.

Morkel, 23, an all-rounder on the fringes of the South African side, faces an imminent ankle operation.

So his place goes to McLean, who played the last of his 19 Tests in March 2001 and has not played in the West Indies one-day team since the World Cup in 2003.