Eddie The Eagle is ready to swoop into Essex.

And when he does, he wants to bowl the county to triumph and glory.

Paceman David Masters - already dubbed Eddie The Eagle, after the Essex mascot, by his Leicestershire Foxes team-mates - is currently playing at Colchester against Essex - the county he will be joining at the end of the season on a three-year contract.

Looking ahead, the 29-year-old told the Gazette: "I'm coming to Essex to win trophies and titles.

"I'm excited by the prospect and I'm at the peak of my game.

"I want to win things and I believe I'll have a better chance of doing that - and achieving promotion - with Essex rather than Leicester.

"My Leicester colleagues are already calling me Eddie The Eagle and while I will be looking to impress the Essex fans at Colchester, this is the most nervous I've been all season.

"But I'm still very much a Fox and I also want to impress my current team-mates."