CRICKET: Aussie left hander Cowan signs for Gloucestershire (From Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard)

Cowan to fill gap between Williamson and Nicol

6:14pm Tuesday 3rd July 2012 in Sport

GLOUCESTERSHIRE are set to sign Australia Test batsman Ed Cowan on a short-term basis.

Subject to a visa being obtained, the 30-year-old Tasmania left-hander will fill the gap between Kane Williamson leaving the county and fellow New Zealander Rob Nicol arriving later this month.

The plan is for Cowan to play in the club’s remaining Friends Life t20 group matches against Worcestershire at Bristol today, Warwickshire at Edgbaston on Friday and Northamptonshire at Northampton on Sunday.

He will then feature in the LV=County Championship match against Essex at the Cheltenham Festival and the Clydesdale Bank 40 games against Essex and Worcestershire, which follow, before Nicol arrives for the Championship game with Leicestershire at the College Ground, starting on July 18.

Cowan will then leave to captain Australia A in two three-day matches against Derbyshire and Durham.

Gloucestershire have also signed 23-year-old bat Benny Howell on a two-year deal after a successful trial, while young seam bowler Graeme McCarter has committed his future to the county until the end of 2014.