NELSON Cricket Club has announced that their professional for the 2013 season will be 28 year old South African wicketkeeper-batsman, Ryan Canning.
Canning has represented Western Province, Boland, Impi and Cape Cobras, making 85 appearances in first-class cricket, scoring 3,817 runs at an average of 35.34.
He has taken 261 catches as well as making 27 stumpings in those matches.
He has also made 57 limited over appearances and 28 in Twenty20 games.
Ryan has informed Nelson officials that he is capable of bowling spin and will take wickets, but he has only bowled one over in all his top grade cricket.
He is described as a talented wicketkeeper-batsman who came to the fore in 2008.
Prior to that, in 2005-06, he toured Pakistan with the South African Academy, but Nelson officials feel that it is unlikely that he will face further international calls now.