South African international off-spinner Simon Harmer

Essex, the English County side, have signed South African international off-spinner Simon Harmer on a one year Kolpak deal.

An aggressive spin-bowler who looks to impart plenty of spin from a slightly round-arm action, Harmer has taken 20 wickets from his five Tests to date, the last of which was in November 2015 against India. Despite being overtaken by Dane Piedt, who played against England last winter as South Africa's premier Test spinner, Harmer is still well regarded and was named in a national spin camp earlier this year. At 27 years old, Essex are getting a player who clearly still has his best years ahead of him.

Harmer plays for the Warriors in South Africa's domestic competition and picked up seven wickets last week against the Titans in Port Elizabeth. As many as 290 wickets from 78 first-class matches proves that Harmer is a solid performer in the long form of the game, especially when considering South Africa is not a place where spinners traditionally thrive.

He also has useful stats in the shorter forms, and concedes under seven runs an over in T20 cricket, which is the mark of a high-class operator. Add in that he's a decent lower-order batsman, good enough to score a first-class hundred, and it is clear Essex have signed a decent cricketer.

He looks a perfect fit for them too. Their rise to the Championship's second division title last season was built on pace with David Masters, Graham Napier and Jamie Porter leading the way with 158 Championship wickets between them. Ashar Zaidi and Tom Westley occasionally provided some spin but it was not a weapon that was much often needed after the seamers had done their job.

Next season, on the better pitches, many of them Test grounds, and against the better players Essex will encounter in the top division of the County Championship, a proven spinner is a must and Harmer fits the bill nicely. His experience will also be vital for an attack shorn of 381 games of first-class nous now that Masters and Napier have both retired.

Essex have also missed a regular spinner in their disappointing performances in one-day cricket over the past few seasons which continued with quarter-final exits in both the Royal London One-Day Cup and Natwest T20 Blast this year. The lack of spin and an over-reliance on right-arm medium pace has contributed to them not fulfilling their clear potential in the short forms of the game.

Harmer is a shrewd acquisition by Essex who have already snapped up two other consistent performers in Varun Chopra and Adam Wheater from Warwickshire and Hampshire respectively. A highlight of Head Coach Chris Silverwood's tenure at the club has been the quality of his recruitment and whilst there is still the need for another quick bowler or two and an overseas player - Mohammad Amir is rumoured to be favourite - the squad looks well stocked. The youthful class of Porter, Westley, Dan Lawrence and Nick Browne allied with a group of experienced, hard-nosed cricketers should make a good fist of remaining in the top flight.

That has to be the first target. Promotion in 2009 was followed swiftly by relegation the following season and Essex have not been back to Division One of the Championship since. Silverwood has been clear that he wants to avoid that same fate this time around. Of course, they may do better than just survive.

Having the raw materials is crucial to competing in the top division and Harmer is another piece of a jigsaw that is beginning to look quite good.