Naik set to end long injury absence

By Paul Bolton, County News Correspondent

Leicestershire off-spinner Jigar Naik is set for a return to first team action in the LV= County Championship match against Hampshire at Grace Road, starting on Tuesday August 21.

Naik has been sidelined or almost three months with an ankle ligament injury which he sustained fielding against Lancashire in a Clydesdale Bank 40 defeat at Old Trafford in May.

But he returned to second team action earlier this month and has now been included in Leicestershire’s squad as cover for former South Africa slow left armer Claude Henderson who is rated as doubtful because of a hip injury. Leicestershire will give Henderson a final check in the morning before deciding whether Naik will make his first Championship appearance of the season.

Leicestershire’s squad also includes captain Matthew Hoggard who was left out of their side against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road two weeks ago even though he was fit. Batsman Josh Cobb stood in as captain for that drawn match. Seamer Alex Wyatt, whose last Championship appearance came against Yorkshire at Scarborough in early May, is also in the squad.

Meanwhile, Leicestershire have put back the start of the opening day of their County Championship match against Kent at Grace Road on August 28 to 12 noon. The change has been made because Kent are involved in a CB40 match against Sussex at Canterbury the day before.


Date: 20/08/2012 14:32:36 by Paul Bolton
In: Today | Leicestershire |