Hampshire have signed West Indies pace bowler Jayden Seales for the opening block of County Championship games after Michael Neser was pulled out of his deal by Cricket Australia.

Seales, 24, will replace Neser for the first six red-ball games of the 2026 domestic campaign.

Seales played 10 matches for Sussex in 2024 and 2025, taking 39 wickets at an average of 28.46 with best figures of 5-29.

He made his international debut in 2021 and has gone on to play 26 Test matches and 38 games in white-ball cricket for West Indies.

“We’re obviously disappointed not to have Michael Neser with us this summer, but it opens the door to an exciting new addition,” Hampshire director of cricket Giles White said.

“Jayden Seales is a bowler with pace and skill, and most importantly, the appetite to run in hard and take the game on.

“He joins a proud line of West Indian cricketers who’ve represented the club with distinction over the years, and we can’t wait to see him in action at the start of the season.”