DALE Steyn will return as Hampshire’s main overseas player for the last seven weeks of the season after being left out of South Africa’s one-day squad for their forthcoming series against Sri Lanka.

The Proteas star played two Specsavers County Championship matches and three Royal London One-Day Cup games for Hampshire in June, including the final at Lord’s, before joining South Africa’s squad in Sri Lanka.

He equalled Shaun Pollock’s South Africa record of 421 Test wickets after taking two in the first Test, only to finish wicketless in the second.

Now, after being left out of the one-day leg of the tour, he is set to return to the Ageas Bowl for Hampshire’s last five Vitality Blast games and their remaining six Championship matches.

His return is very timely as Colin Munro leaves for the Caribbean Premier League at the end of next week.

The New Zealander has four games left for Hampshire, with his final match being the next home game against Kent on August 3.

Steyn took seven wickets at 29.14 apiece in the Ageas Bowl Championship matches against Surrey and Yorkshire as well as three wickets at 56.66 in his three RLODC outings.

He is expected to make his T20 debut for Hampshire against Somerset on August 8.