AUSSIE Big Bash star Sam Rainbird has landed in England and is ready to tear up the Yorkshire Premier League North with Sheriff Hutton Bridge.

The 24-year-old left-arm fast bowler becomes SHB's first overseas player in over 10 years and, having arrived on Wednesday night, is set to be thrown straight into the team for tomorrow's big league derby against York at Clifton Park.

Rainbird, who will be 25 in June, opens the bowling for Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash alongside England Test ace Stuart Broad.

He has also just finished playing in the Sheffield Shield down under with Tasmania, having represented his state six times this term. He was given a state contract four years ago and won the Tasmanian Tigers Sheffield Shield Player of the Year award in 2013-14.

The Bridge, who will use him as a bowling all-rounder, likely to go into the middle order of the batting line-up, believe they have a player of Test match potential.

A club statement said: "The club has not had an overseas player for some years and are looking forward to the skills and influence that Sam can bring to the club over the rest of the season.

"If he can transfer his recent State and Big Bash form into the Yorkshire League, the players and supporters of Sheriff Hutton Bridge will be more than pleased. The club is more than confident that he can.

"Stuart Broad, his opening bowling partner for the Hurricanes, has spoken very highly of him.

"He is a rated as a player with a future in Australian cricket and is delighted to be with us to get experience of English conditions."

SHB also believe Rainbird is the "perfect addition" to their young squad.

He has in the region of 375 wickets to his name across all standards of grade and first-class cricket and recently hit a top score of 40 in first-class cricket versus Western Australia.

A statement on their website added: "His first-class credentials and experience will be extremely valuable to the club and first team.

"We are certain Sam will enjoy his time at The Bridge and has a personality that will fit in with the club ethos. We look forward to seeing him steaming in on the Moor Farm turf."

Rainbird is likely to reside in Harrogate, near to the St George's Road-based outfit who won the Yorkshire Premier League North last year and who began their title defence last Saturday with a 33-run victory over the Aussie's new club.

SHB bounced back from that loss with a dramatic victory over Richmondshire 24 hours later in the Royal London ECB National Club Championship - winning through to the next round by virtue of having lost one fewer wicket after the scores were tied.

Tomorrow's opponents, York, meanwhile, laid down an early league marker last week with a thumping nine-wicket win at Driffield Town, Yorkshire batsman Jack Leaning finishing unbeaten on 52.

Elsewhere, Stamford Bridge, derby victors over Woodhouse Grange last week, will be the next team to test Harrogate's title defence, heading over to St George's Road tomorrow.

League newcomers Easingwold, who found the going tough in their opener against Yorkshire Academy, host Acomb, while fellow promoted side Clifton Alliance, pipped by Scarborough by one wicket last week, go to Hull. Woodhouse Grange host Yorkshire Academy in the remaining fixture.