Burke agrees season's loan with Foxes

Leicestershire have signed Surrey allrounder James Burke on a season-long loan deal.

Burke's arrival at Leicestershire should bolster their seam bowling resources which were a chief reason for the fading of a surprising promotion challenge last season.

Burke is available to play in all three competitions but will not feature if Leicestershire play Surrey in any fixtures during the 2017 season. He is currently training in Cape Town and will join up with his new teammates on Leicestershire pre-season tour to South Africa next month.

The allrounder, who celebrates his 26th birthday today, has played for both Somerset and Surrey in his county career and also represented England from Under-17 to Under-19 level.

He caught the eye against Leicestershire in Surrey's promotion year in 2015 by claiming four wickets haul in a Championship victory at Grace Road.

Leicestershire's head coach Pierre de Bruyn said: "It is important for us to have depth in our squad and James is a highly talented all-rounder. He will compete for a place in our side across all three competitions. He will add strength to our batting and bowling, and he is also a dynamic fielder. "

Burke made little impact as Surrey returned to Division One of the Championship, playing only six matches across all three formats.

Surrey's director of cricket Alec Stewart said: "This is a great opportunity for James to play all forms of cricket on a regular basis, allowing his game to develop."