Yorkshire have pulled off the exciting capture of South African master blaster Herschelle Gibbs as their Twenty20 specialist.

The 36-year-old batsman will arrive in time for the first Friends Provident 20-over clash with Durham on June 10, and will be available for the rest of the campaign.

The announcement comes less than a week after the club revealed that New Zealand bowler Daryl Tuffey would be the early season replacement for Ryan Harris.

“I’m really looking forward to playing over there, and I’ll hopefully help to lead the troops towards some sort of success,” said the Cape Town-born player, who is currently in India on international duty.

“I’ve always enjoyed playing cricket in the UK, and have very good memories of Headingley as I got my first World Cup hundred there in 1999.”

Not only is Gibbs an explosive talent with the bat at the top of the order in the limited overs arena, but he is also a superb fielder at backward point.

He has played 246 one-day internationals, 20 Twenty20 internationals and 90 Test matches for the Proteas. At the 2007 50-over World Cup in the West Indies, he smashed Dutch spinner Dan van Bunge for six sixes in an over.

Despite amassing close to 14,500 international runs, there is one accolade missing off his CV.

He added: “I’ve yet to get a hundred in Twenty20 cricket. I promised myself that I would get at least a few before I call it quits one day.”

His best score in the format is 98, while his best international score is 90 not out.

Gibbs was the man who anchored South Africa’s incredible chase of 435 against Australia in an ODI at the Wanderers in 2006, with his 175 coming off just 142 balls.

Sketchy form has seen him in and out of the South African side over the recent years – he played his last Test in 2008 – and has he not been an ever-present in coloured clothing.

But his appetite for the game has not diminished.

He said: “There are still a number of challenges that I would like to overcome. I am enjoying my cricket at the moment more than ever.

“I think Twenty20 cricket is the flavour of the month, and I hope we can treat the home spectators to some entertaining cricket.”

Martyn Moxon, Yorkshire’s director of professional cricket, said: “Herschelle will add power, runs and experience to our batting line-up, and he is also a fine fielder. He has the ability to win matches on his own if he hits his best form.”

Gibbs has a contract with the Deccan Chargers in the Indian Premier League, while he has had previous experience of county cricket with Glamorgan.