Cape Town - It appears that Kagiso Rabada's hopes of playing English county cricket will be realised sooner rather than later after reports suggested that Durham were nearing a deal with the Proteas sensation.
A report in the Daily Mail said that Rabada was being lined up by the Division One side as a possible replacement for injured Australian fast bowler John Hastings.
Rabada, the report added, was looking to secure a contract for the first six weeks of the English summer and he felt that time on the county circuit would be more beneficial to his growth than a stint in the glamorous Indian Premier League (IPL).
Rabada took the second best match figures by a South African in Test cricket towards the end of last month - his 13/144 in the fourth Test against England catapulting the Proteas to victory.
At just 20, he is considered one of the brightest young talents in world cricket.