Morkel free to play for Yorkshire

Morne Morkel is free to play for Yorkshire next season (Getty)

South African pace bowler Morne Morkel will be joining Yorkshire next season, despite reports that he had signed for Jaipur in the Indian Premier League.

Yorkshire had signed the 23-year-old for the opening three months of the forthcoming season.

But after discussions with Jaipur, Yorkshire have been assured that Morkel has not signed a contract with them.

That should allow him to join up with the Yorkshire squad in time for the start of the season.

Yorkshire chief executive Stewart Regan told the Yorkshire Post: "I have established through conversations with Manoj Badale, the owner of the Jaipur franchise, that Morne has not signed a contract either with Jaipur or the IPL.

"Manoj Badale has told me he will respect our pre-existing arrangement with Morne and not look to sign a contract with him for this year.

"However, Jaipur may look to sign the player for 2009 and 2010."

It is still unclear when exactly Morkel, who will fill the overseas role for the first three months of the season, will arrive at Headingley.

We're still trying to establish the exact date when Morne will be joining us Yorkshire chief executive Stewart Regan

Yorkshire's opening fixture is away to Durham in the Friends Provident Trophy on 20 April, and Morkel had been expected to arrive on 6 April.

But that would clash with his involvement in South Africa's three-match Test series in India.

Regan said: "We're still trying to establish the exact date when Morne will be joining us.

"Ideally, we would like him to be able to train with the guys for a week or so before the season starts, but it all depends on Morne's involvement in the Test series in India."

Morkel is currently on international duty with the South African team in Bangladesh and Yorkshire have so far been unable to speak directly with him.