BBC SPORT | Cricket | Counties | Gloucestershire | Rhodes signs up for English summer

Gloucestershire have signed South African Jonty Rhodes for the 2003 season but face a battle to keep hold of Australian Ian Harvey.

Rhodes will be one of two overseas players at Gloucestershire next summer but whether he will be joined at the County Ground by Harvey remains unclear.

I never thought that I would end up going down this route

Jonty Rhodes

Gloucestershire have offered Harvey a new deal but a number of sides are interested in his signature.

"We are currently negotiating with Ian Harvey," director of cricket John Bracewell told BBC Sport Online.

"He and Jonty Rhodes are our first choices for next season but there are other counties interested in Harvey and financially we may not be able to compete."

Harvey was an integral part of Gloucestershire's run of success in one-day cricket that saw them lift four trophies in two seasons.

Ian Harvey is attracting the interest of several counties
But the county have endured a troubled summer this year, despite heading the National League, with rumours of dressing room unrest hitting Mark Alleyne's side.

Rhodes, who has retired from Test cricket and will quite South Africa's one-day side after the World Cup next March, has been brought in to nurture young talent.

The 32-year-old is regarded as one of the world's best fielders and has the added advantage of being available for almost all of the season.

Fitting the bill

"We had been keeping an eye on a number of overseas players and we wanted someone who would be available for the majority of the season," Bracewell said.

"When South Africa toured here a couple of years ago and played against us I was tremendously impressed with the way he went about his cricket and the work ethic he showed.

"We have some tremendous young cricketers in our academy and we think Jonty will provide a wonderful role model for them."

Rhodes is keen to pass on the experience gleaned from 52 Test matches and more than 200 one-day internationals.

"When I embarked on my Test career for South Africa I never thought that I would end up going down this route," he said.

"And I look forward to playing with, and passing on some of what I have learned to fresh faces


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