Warwickshire have completed the signing of Ian Salisbury and hope to add Sanath Jayasuriya to the squad within days.

Leg-spinner Salisbury has joined on a two-year deal having been released by Surrey at the end of last season.

With 19 years, 15 Test matches, 850 wickets and nearly 7,000 runs to his name as a first-class cricketer, it is hoped that he will add depth and experience to a team at the start of a rebuilding process.

He is, in some ways, something of a controversial choice. He will be 38 in January, endured a disappointing 2007 season and appears ill-suited to the new regime's policy of promoting young, English talent.

Yet, as Ashley Giles, the director of cricket, points out, Warwickshire have lost a host of experienced players from the dressing-room in recent months.

Salisbury offers a skill the club do no boast in abundance and the market is hardly over-flowing with alternatives.

Giles is also confident that Salisbury, who would like to move into coaching when his playing career ends, will prove an asset to the club's emerging spin bowlers.

"'Sals' will add some much-needed experience back into our squad," Giles said. "The retirements of Heath Streak and Dougie Brown have left the current squad light in this regard and I know a player of Ian's calibre will be a great asset to both the club and the team.

"He has knowledge of the game in all formats. He will be a great help to the younger players and those coming through the Academy in the spin-bowling department. Ian will join up with us in January but I will be communicating with him regularly before Christmas."

Salisbury said: "I have been lucky enough to play at two [Surrey and Sussex] fantastic clubs during my career and it will be brilliant to finish at another fantastic club. It will be a new start under Ashley and I am fully behind him and look forward to playing and helping develop the youngsters in this new era for the club."

Warwickshire are also hopeful of signing Jayasuriya within days. Giles would like to have tied everything up before he departs for India tomorrow but, even if he does not, is confident that the Sri Lankan will join the team for the Twenty20 Cup next season.

Meanwhile, the club have decided to release Vaughn van Jaarsveld without a struggle.

Though there was talk of sending Allan Donald, who is working in South Africa, to talk to him, Warwickshire have now decided that there is little point.

Giles finally spoke to the 22-year-old yesterday but is not inclined to try to persuade the unwilling to play at Edgbaston.

While van Jaarsveld is certainly a talented - if portly - young man, a club rebuilding its spirits after an unhappy few months can do without those lacking in commitment. After all, even the most flea-ravaged dog is capable of loyalty.

Van Jaarsveld's departure - with two years remaining on his contract - does leave a vacancy, however.

Giles admitted that it did increase the possibility of Shaun Pollock returning to Edgbaston but stressed that such a move was some way off at present.

The 24-year-old Majid Haq, the trialist off-spinning all-rounder from Scotland, is another alternative.

"I don't want to keep thinking about dragging people in," Giles said. "We have a lot of young guys here and this gives them an opportunity. I mean the likes of 'Navi' Poonia, Nick James and Luke Parker. And we have some experience with people like Michael Powell.

"I've always said 'never say never' as regards 'Kolpaks' and the great thing with 'Polly' is that we know exactly what we will get."

Reflecting on the warm reception afforded him and Brown at the club's forum, Giles said: "I think everyone knows that me and Dougie have Warwickshire at heart and I think we are well-trusted from the start by the membership. I was a bit nervous but in the end I really enjoyed it."