DURHAM are scouring the planet for another world-class player to feature alongside Herschelle Gibbs in next season’s Twenty20 Cup.

The Riversiders will continue without an overseas player in the County Championship, but having today announced the arrival of 37-year-old former South Africa opener Gibbs, they hope to fill their second overseas berth in the Twenty20 competition.

“If we can get hold of another top-class player we will,” coach Geoff Cook confirmed.

“I think our policy to try and encourage our own players in the longer forms of the game is the right one, but in Twenty20, which is more about entertainment, excitement and individual performances, we think it’s right to sign overseas players.

“The Twenty20 acts as a bit of a break in the season and getting some good high-profile players can act as a catalyst.

“The international calendar is tending to squeeze out a lot of people – South Africa, West Indies and Australia are all touring England this year – and we won’t just get someone for the sake of it.

“To get a top-class bowler would be ideal but the opportunities are even more restricted than for batsmen.”

Durham’s approach to overseas players is down to pragmatism as well as principle. County cricket operates with a salary cap, and with high-profile former internationals such as Paul Collingwood, Stephen Harmison, Dale Benkenstein and Michael Di Venuto on their books, they cannot afford a first Championship overseas player since Shivnarine Chanderpaul in 2009.

Ex-South Africa all-rounder Benkenstein and former Australia one-day opener Di Venuto are not classed as overseas players. The former is English qualified, the latter has a European passport.

In an attempt to punch its weight in the lucrative global Twenty20 market, English cricket’s salary cap does not apply to the 20-over game.

Not having represented his country since the 2010 t20 World Cup, Gibbs is one of a growing band of players trying to tap into that market. He has played for Western Province Boland, Cape Cobras, Glamorgan, Yorkshire, Northern Districts, Deccan Chargers and, most recently, Perth Scorchers, where his team-mates included Collingwood and former Durham stars Mike Hussey, Simon Katich and Marcus North. He has also signed for Bangladesh Premier League side Khulna Royal Bengals.

“He’s a destructive player and hopefully he will be available for all the matches with his international career now seemingly behind him,” Cook said. “We just felt if we could get a top-class opener they would have more chance of having an impact. I’m sure when the opposition see Herschelle and (Phil) Mustard come out to bat they will expect to be in for a tough day.”

Miller, last season’s sole Twenty20 overseas player, was a middle-order batsman still to make his name in international cricket. He averaged just 26.5 as Durham reached last season’s quarter-finals.

Gibbs’ signing is a statement of intent from Durham, bankrolled by Indian media mogul Gautam Radia and his brother Hiren.

He made 23 Twenty20 appearances for South Africa. His average in the shortest form of the game is 27.23 at a strike-rate of 127.34, and he is the only Durham player with a Twenty20 century. He has 90 Test caps and played in 248 one-day internationals.

A colourful and controversial character, at the 2007 Cricket World Cup he became the first player to hit six sixes in a one-day international over.

He was fined for smoking marijuana on a tour of the West Indies, and banned for six months for his part in the Hansie Cronje match-fixing scandal.

In 2007 he was banned for one Test, one Twenty20 game and one ODI for racist comments.

He pulled out of a contract to be Durham’s overseas player in 2005 after being told to rest by his country.