YORKSHIRE have given a one-year contract to their South African-born all-rounder Pieter Swanepoel, who recently received British citizenship and is now eligible to play for the first team as an English qualified player, writes David Warner.

Swanepoel, 25, comes from Paarl, near Cape Town, and has an English-born wife. He plays league cricket for Sheffield United in the Yorkshire Premier League and after appearing for Derbyshire Seconds in 2,000 he joined up with Yorkshire for trials the following summer.

He created a big impression last season and was Yorkshire's leading wicket-taker in the Second XI Championship with 43 dismissals at 21.04 runs apiece as well as scoring 246 runs with a top-score of 78.

Swanepoel hit the headlines last May in the third round of the Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy at Scarborough. Playing for the Yorkshire Cricket Board, he claimed a hat-trick to polish off the tail of the Somerset county side.

Updated: 10:48 Friday, March 14, 2003