Abdur Rehman to join Somerset

By Richard Latham

Pakistan left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman is set to join Somerset later this month subject to a visa being arranged. The club's director of cricket Brian Rose has revealed that his quest to sign a world class slow bowler to boost the challenge for a first County Championship title is almost over.

Rose said:."Contracts have been signed with Rehman and a ‘No Objection Clause’ certificate has been sent to us by the Pakistan Cricket Board. It just remains for Abdur to sort out a visa and once that is done we hope he will be with us in time for our Championship game with Warwickshire at Taunton, starting on July 18."

George Dockrell will miss that match due to Ireland having a fixture against Afghanistan and will then captain his country in the Under-19 World Cup in Australia, which will keep him away for a further month.

"Rehman will be an ideal replacement," said Rose. "He is also a left-arm spinner and, although looked at other possible targets, but he was always high on our list.

"At 32, he has an excellent first-class record, with a bowling avarage not dissimilar to Murali Kartik’s, and he has played in 16 Test matches for Pakistan, the latest in Sri Lanka being only last week.

"Rehman also bats reasonably well, going in around number eight, so that was also a plus point when it came to signing him. The other positive is that he is not currently in Pakistan’s Twenty20 side, so once he joins us he should be available for the remainder of our season."


Date: 01/07/2012 14:58:10 by Richard Latham
In: Today | Somerset |