FORMER England Test wicket keeper Geraint Jones has joined Gloucestershire on loan from Kent as cover for the injured Gareth Roderick.

Roderick broke a finger for the second time this season after top-scoring in the first innings for the county side in the 290-run win over Kent last week and is expected to be out for up to six weeks.

Jones, 37, goes straight into the Gloucestershire team for the four-day county championship match against Derbyshire which starts tomorrow (May 25).

He will be available for selection in all forms of the game, but won’t be allowed to feature against his own county in the T20 Blast match at Canterbury next Friday.

Jones has kept wicket for Kent for the best part of 13 seasons and has played in 34 Tests, 49 ODIs and two international T20s for England.

He was awarded an MBE at the end of 2005 after his contributions to winning back the Ashes for England.

Gloucestershire’s director of cricket, John Bracewell, said: “Geraint will be a great foil for our middle order batting and his experience behind the stumps will be of great value to our fielding and bowling groups.

“This is a vital four-week period for the club’s season and we must maintain momentum after our last performance against Kent.”