LANCASHIRE head coach Glen Chapple says having new signing Joe Mennie available for the 'vast majority' of the season was a key factor in the decision to bring the Australian to Old Trafford.

The 29-year-old has moved to the Red Rose as the club's overseas player for 2019 and will be available across all three formats from the start of the season until early September.

Mennie currently plays his cricket for South Australia and Big Bash side Melbourne Renegades and Chapple believes the pace bowler, who is also a useful lower order batsman, will prove a valuable acquisition for Lancashire.

He said: "He comes for the start of the season and is available in all competitions until September 2 so for the vast majority of the season.

"That is one of the key things for me, we keep speaking about the old days and having a player all year round and it is more and more difficult to find that player now with the T20 competitions that are on all around the world.

"To find a quality cricketer like Joe who still has ambitions to play Test match cricket and wants to learn and develop his game in English conditions is a great thing to find."

Chapple also believes the Aussie has the character to succeed at Old Trafford.

"We do a lot of work trying to work out what makes them tick and what their motivations for playing are and all the feedback on Joe is that he is a great competitor and when he gets on the field he never stops and that is the kind of player we want."

Lancashire last Kyle Jarvis and Ryan McLaren at the end of last season and Chapple believes the arrival of Mennie, added to the signing of Graham Onions from Durham, has filled that seam bowler void.

Chapple added: "It was vital that we bolstered our fast bowling ranks within the squad after the departures of Kyle Jarvis and Ryan McLaren at the end of last season. We have now done that with the signing of Joe (Mennie) and Graham (Onions) who will complement our current group of home-grown fast bowlers.

"We believe that Joe will be suited to English conditions, he bowls with plenty of pace and is a skilful bowler who moves the ball laterally, is accurate and has good stamina and is a strong lad.

"He is probably right at the peak of his career, is looking for more international honours. He is hungry for success."

Mennie started his career in the New South Wales squad before moving to South Australia in 2011 and has impressed in the Sheffield Shield over the past two seasons having topped the competition wicket list with 51 dismissals at an average of 21.21 in the 2016 season.

That led to a call-up for Australia where he made his one-day international debut against South Africa in October 2016 before making his Test debut against the same opposition a month later.

Mennie said: “I can’t wait to join up with Lancashire for the upcoming county season. It is a Club that has a fantastic history and their elite programme and winning ambitions made the choice an easy one for my family and I.

“I’m looking forward to working with head coach Glen Chapple and the rest of the coaching staff, meeting the squad in April and playing my cricket this year at Emirates Old Trafford.”

In 53 matches, Mennie averages 26 with the ball in first class cricket and he has also featured for Perth Scorchers, Sydney Sixes and Hobart Hurricanes in Australia’s Big Bash in recent years, averaging 22 with the ball in T20 cricket.

The Australian bowler has also proven himself to be a more than handy batsman, with five half-centuries and a top score of 79 not out for South Australia.