Essex have signed Kent all-rounder Neil Dexter on a month’s loan.

The 23-year-old joins with immediate effect and will go straight into the squad for Wednesday’s opening Twenty20 Cup match against Surrey at the Brit Oval.

Dexter will be available for all Essex’s matches up until July 10 (other than the Twenty20 Cup fixtures against his ‘mother’ county, Kent).

The right-hander made his Kent debut in 2005 and has so far played 21 first-class matches along with 41 one-day games (including 15 in the Twenty20 Cup).

Dexter served notice of his rich potential last week when he struck a match-winning century for the Kent Spitfires against Somerset Sabres in the Friends Provident Trophy quarter-final at Beckenham.

Commenting on the signing, Essex First-Team Coach Paul Grayson told the Essex CCC website:

“From our point of view we are going to lose Ravi Bopara and Alastair Cook after our first Twenty20 Cup match (against Surrey Brown Caps at the Brit Oval) so need to bring in a new batsman to freshen things up. Neil’s clearly in form (following his 101 not against Somerset Sabres) so we are delighted to have his services for a month.

“I saw a lot of him during my days as 2nd XI Coach and he’s an exciting, hungry young player. As someone who also bowls and is an excellent fielder we see him as a ‘like for like’ replacement for Ravi.

“It’s no secret that we’ve been struggling for runs lately and the time has come for us to be pro-active in the loan market.”

Dexter can be recalled by Kent at any time during the loan period to take up a first-team place should such an opportunity occur.