Taunton (England), Oct 16 (IANS/CMC): Twenty20 specialist Kieron Pollard has been retained by English County Somerset for their T20 campaign next season.

The big-hitting West Indies batsman, who has made his name primarily as an itinerant T20 player, has been a feature of Somerset's side in the last two seasons where they have reached the final but lost on each occasion.

Somerset's director of cricket Brian Rose confirmed Pollard's arrival at the club for 2012 Friends Provident campaign.

"Kieron Pollard will be coming back to play in the T20 for Somerset, subject to contract and barring any international commitments with the West Indies," Rose said.

In the just concluded season, Pollard scored 234 runs in 10 innings and took 12 wickets at an economy rate of 8.61, to help Somerset reach the final where they lost to Leicestershire.

The 24-year-old Pollard, perhaps the most sought after T20 batsman, also plies his trade for Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League and South Australia in the Australian Big Bash.

Pollard is currently on tour with the West Indies team in Bangladesh.