West Indies batsman Chris Gayle has agreed to play T20 Blast cricket for Somerset this season.

The all-rounder will arrive at Taunton in late May once his commitments in the Indian Premier League with the Royal Challengers Bangalore have come to an end.

As a result, the 35-year-old, who came close to joining Somerset three years ago, will play in either five or six games.

"I'm excited about joining Somerset for the T20 Blast. Many of the club's members and supporters will know that I came close to playing for the county in 2012. I've always felt that if I was able to, I wanted to honour that commitment to Somerset," he told the club's official website.

Gayle's only other stint in county cricket came back in 2005 with Worcestershire.

Written by
Liam Apicella