USMAN Khawaja has agreed to return to Derbyshire as their overseas player for the second half of the 2012 season.

In a reverse of last year's roles, the 25-year-old Australian will fly in on June 10 to take over from New Zealander Martin Guptill, who will then leave to join the Black Caps on their tour to the West Indies.

As with Guptill, Derbyshire were keen to see more of the outstanding potential and professionalism the player brought to the County Ground in a short spell last year.

Khawaja was limited by injury when he arrived and had his stay cut short by a call-up for an Australian training camp but his majestic 135 in his last Championship match at Canterbury lives in the memory as he finished with a first-class average of 39.87 in four matches for the county and also averaged 38.75 in five CB40 games.

"We only saw what he was truly capable of on the field at the end of his time but he is clearly a very fine player and was very good around the changing room," said head coach Karl Krikken.

"I spoke to Usie last week and he was very keen to come back and do a job for us. Part of the reason for that was because he realised how much good playing in county cricket could be for his game. We're really looking forward to having him back."

Since his spell with Derbyshire, Khawaja has played five more Tests for Australia – two in Sri Lanka, one in South Africa and two against New Zealand.

He hit a career-high 65 in the second innings at the Wanderers to top-score and help his side chase down 310 to beat South Africa. He now averages 29.22 in Tests but lost his place for the current series against India to Shaun Marsh, who is averaging a mere 3.40 in the series.

In his only Sheffield Shield match so far this season for New South Wales, Khawaja scored his ninth first-class hundred and he also struck 116 in his only one-day match for NSW. His career Shield average is over 53.

The only potential hitch to prevent Khawaja playing the whole of the last three months of the season for Derbyshire is an Australia A tour to England – which includes a three-day fixture at Derby – from July 24 to August 17.

"We don't think at the moment we will lose Usie for that but, if we do, we will have a contingency plan," added Krikken.