HEAD coach Kevin Sharp says Travis Head’s arrival will provide healthy competition for a spot in the Worcestershire batting line-up this summer.

The Australian left-hander is available for most of the 2018 campaign and will reinforce the top order.

Tom Kohler-Cadmore departed last summer to Yorkshire while Alexei Kervezee has also left but Sharp says the signing of Head will ensure there is “a scrap for places”.

Sharp said: “It’s a while since we had an overseas batter at the club so that will add strength in depth and what we are really happy about here is the strength in depth in the seam bowling department.

“We’ve not only got the experienced players, with the addition of Steve Magoffin to add to that, but the development of the young lads coming through is very exciting really.

“Is that why we went down the batting route for an overseas player? I think so. We lost Tom last year so that was a blow to the squad.

“So to add to the competition in the batting was definitely the right way to go in that respect.

“There is a scrap on for places and that is only healthy. We had that at the beginning of last season.

“There was always a player left out of the team who had played a lot of first-team cricket.

“It’s good. There is no complacency and the players in the team know they have to perform.”