WITH the cricket season still two months away Essex have been given an early season boost with the news that star batsman Owais Shah is likely to be available for the early part of the season.

Both he and Ravi Bopara went unsold at last week's Indian Premier League auction and can therefore play county cricket in April and May.

The latter is still likely to miss the first LV> County Championship game of the term at home to Gloucestershire as he could be away with England in Sri Lanka.

All-rounder Ryan ten Doeschate tough has already been signed up by IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders.

Head coach Paul Grayson is pleased with the way his squad is shaping up and knows having Shah, a former England Test and One-Day player, will only help their cause in those vital early games. That's as long as the IPL doesn't come calling again, should injuries strike to certain franchises.

"It's good news for us," he told the Gazette. "We have never stopped any lads going in to the IPL auction but it's great to have players of Owais's calibre around for the first few games of the season and our batting is starting to look very strong.

"I think a lot of the English players have been discouraged from going in to the IPL anyway.

"I think the ECB would prefer them to concentrate on playing domestic cricket."

He also says the club is on the verge of announcing the signing of an overseas batsman, South African Alviro Petersen is a name that's been heavily linked.

"We are close to announcing an overseas player for next season, it's nearly all signed and sealed," he said.

Meanwhile, Scott Styris has signed for Sussex to play in next season's Twenty20 competition. Having played at the Ford County Ground for two years the New Zealander has decided to move on.

"We did speak to him briefly about staying," said Grayson. "But it soon became clear there was other interest and looking at our squad we're OK with all-rounders.

"Scott was fantastic for us and goes with our best wishes. We're looking at the budget for next season's Twenty20 and at the moment it looks like we're going to go for two overseas players."