Nottinghamshire have signed New Zealand batsman Ross Taylor as their overseas player for the first half of the 2018 season.

The deal runs until the end of June and Taylor is available for eight Specsavers County Championship matches and all eight Royal London One-Day Cup North Group games.

Taylor, who turned 34 on Thursday, could also play up to the final should the Outlaws make it.

“I’m really excited about joining Nottinghamshire as they return to Division One of the Specsavers County Championship, and I hope I can play an important part in helping them become re-established at the higher level,” he told the club.

“It’s also great to be joining a team who are defending a white ball trophy, with the club having won the Royal London One-Day Cup last summer, and hopefully the team can mount a strong challenge again.”

Taylor is ranked as number nine in the ICC Test rankings for batsmen has has made 368 international appearances for New Zealand.

He has scored 6,246 runs in 83 Tests at an average of 48.04, with 17 centuries and 28 fifties.