Nic Pothas does not want to stand in the way of ECB Academy products when he qualifies to play for England next month.

The former South Africa one-day player becomes a British citizen on May 14 - five years after arriving in England to play for Hampshire thanks to his Greek passport.

Johannesburg-born Pothas, 33, played three one-day internationals for South Africa in 2000 alongside the likes of Jacques Kallis, Shaun Pollock and Makhaya Ntini.

But he will be available for England three days before the first Test of the summer - against the West Indies on May 17.

England coach Duncan Fletcher has struggled to find the right gloveman since Alec Stewart retired at the age of 40 in 2003.

But while Pothas will provide Fletcher with an extra option, the Hampshire wicketkeeper is staying focused on his county duties.

He said: "If I continue to play as I have done for Hampshire in the last five years, I'll have a chance.

"I would be very honoured but the ECB have put a lot of money into bringing through guys like Essex's James Foster and Sussex's Matthew Prior so if they wanted to go with someone like that I would obviously understand".

For full story, and to read Nic Pothas' first exclusive column for the Daily Echo, don't miss today's Echo.