SOUTH Wilts Cricket Club have landed a major coup, completing the signing of Western Australia left-handed batsman Chris Rogers.

A gritty and determined top-order batsman, Rogers has scored almost 3,600 Pura Cup runs for Western Australia and, in recent years, has been a regular in the Australian A-side.

He was part of the Wellington side which won the Birmingham & District Premier League title in 2002 and last summer he played 11 county championship matches for Derbyshire, scoring 498 runs, including 156 against Durham.

South Wilts skipper Rob Wade hailed the new signing as an exciting prospect for both players and followers of the club.

He said: "On paper at least, he has to be one of - if not the best - players ever to play in the league.

"Chris wants to be over here in case a county has an injury to one of their overseas players.

"It's quite possible we may not get a whole season out of him, but if a player that good wants to play for you, you'd be foolish to turn him away."

Last year's overseas success story Alan Kruger was unable to commit to a second season.

Rogers will make his debut when South Wilts open their defence of the championship at Bashley on April 30.

South Wilts got their 2005 season off to a fine start with a friendly victory over Falkland on Satur-day, with Wade the top-scorer on 56.

On Sunday, rain affected their game with Lymington.

Lysander Wolf scored an unbeaten 110 before the game ended in a draw.