Mohammad Amir joins Essex for second half of 2017 season

Mohammad Amir, the Pakistan fast bowler who was banned from cricket for five years after being convicted of spot-fixing in 2010, is to join promoted Essex for the second half of the 2017 season.

Amir, who has 140 international wickets to his name across all formats, will arrive following the conclusion of the ICC Champions Trophy, which is being staged in England, and will be available from 19 June for the County Championship and NatWest T20 Blast.

“I am very excited about becoming part of the Essex family,” the 24-year-old told Essex’s website.

“Chris Silverwood [the coach] and Ronnie Irani [the cricket committee chairman] have both been very supportive over the summer. I’m hoping I can carry on Essex’s success this season and achieve more for the club in 2017.”

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Silverwood said: “We are thrilled that Mohammad has decided to join us for half of the 2017 campaign. He showed a real desire to be a part of the club and the fact we have him for two competitions is a real bonus. He is still only young but has proved himself at international level already, so it is a real coup to get this signing completed.”

In 2010, Amir, then 19, admitted bowling two intentional no-balls at Lord’s and was one of three Pakistan cricketers, along with Salman Butt and Mohammad Asif, who received custodial sentences for their part in the fixing scam.

He was released from Portland Prison, a young offenders institution in Dorset, in February 2012 after serving half of his six-month sentence.

In March 2015 he returned to domestic cricket, playing for Omar Associates in the Patron’s Trophy, and made his internati