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London- South Africa batsman Alviro Petersen will be Somerset's overseas player for the first half of the 2013 English season, the county announced Friday.
The 31-year-old, opening for South Africa in the ongoing first Test against Australia in Brisbane, has previous county experience from spells as captain of Glamorgan in 2011 and with Essex in the initial stages of last season.
But he became more widely known when, following his stint at Essex, he starred in South Africa's 2-0 Test series win in England, which took them to the top of the world rankings and featured Petersen's Test-best 182 at Headingley.
Somerset's announcement came just a week after county rivals Surrey revealed Petersen's opening partner Graeme Smith, the Proteas' skipper, would captain the Oval-based side for the next three seasons.
Petersen told Somerset's website: "Somerset are a successful team in all forms of cricket and I look forward to becoming part of the set-up at the County Ground, and hope that I can help them to win some trophies in 2013."
Petersen, who has played 16 Tests and 17 one-day internationals, averages just under 40 in first-class cricket.
"He is an exceptional player," said Somerset chief executive Guy Lavender, "and has an impressive record as a batsman, which he demonstrated during this summer's series against England and we look forward to welcoming him to Taunton in the spring."
