Surrey have issued a statement of intent in their bid to win their first County Championship title since 2002 with the signing of Morne Morkel.

The former South Africa fast bowler has signed on a two-year Kolpak deal and is available for all three formats of the game, having just retired from international duty. He is expected to be joined by his former Proteas team-mate Dean Elgar, who will sign as overseas player for the early part of the season later this week. Australia’s Mitchell Marsh had been set to fulfil that role but needs ankle surgery.

At 33, Morkel remains a mighty force. He signed off from Test cricket in South Africa’s resounding series win over Australia, taking nine wickets and winning the man-of-the-match award in his penultimate Test at his home ground in Cape Town. He bows out placed seventh in the ICC Test rankings.

Indeed, his pace and bounce make him the rare sort of bowler that might even be able to extract life from the Oval’s increasingly benign surface. Forcing results was a significant problem for Surrey last year; they finished third but won just twice.

“It is a real honour that Surrey asked me to join after my retirement from international cricket,” said Morkel. “I’ve got fond memories of playing at the Kia Oval and am looking forward to settling into London with my family for the summer, making new friendships with team-mates and, hopefully, great memories on and off the field.”

Morkel arrives tomorrow but is not expected to be fit for the season opener at home to Hampshire a week on Friday after picking up a slight side strain.

He is the only Kolpak-registered player in a Surrey squad with a homegrown feel. The controversial Kolpak ruling allows cricketers from countries with trade agreements with the EU to play here without registering as overseas players (although they give up their right to play for their home nation).

Fears over the impact of Brexit on the EU regulation, the weakness of the rand and transformation targets have seen a second flood (the first came in the mid-2000s) of South African Kolpaks over the last 18 months, although Morkel’s move revolves around creating family stability.

Last year, Kyle Abbott and Rilee Rossouw controversially joined Hampshire when in their twenties, while off-spinner Simon Harmer took 72 Championship wickets for champions Essex.

“Morne will add enormous strength and experience to our squad,” said Alec Stewart, Surrey’s director of cricket.