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| September 23, 2006 | Saturday | Sha'aban 29, 1427 |
Windies pacer Lawson to play for Maharashtra
NEW DELHI, Sept 22: West Indies fast bowler Jermaine Lawson is set to represent western Indian state Maharashtra in domestic cricket this season.
“I am supposed to come there for the season.
“We have not signed anything, but hopefully very soon we should be finalising things,” the Times of India quoted the paceman as saying on Friday.
The 24-year-old Jamaican was in India last week to meet Maharashtra Cricket Association officials.
Lawson, twice reported for a suspect bowling action, has not played a Test since appearing against Australia in Brisbane in November 2005.
He was in India recently to work on his action at a leading pace academy in Chennai with coaches T. A. Sekar and Dennis Lillee, the former Australian fast bowling great.
In his career, Lawson has bagged 51 wickets in 13 Tests. During the home Test series against Australia in 2003, he grabbed a hat-trick in Barbados before taking a career-best 7-78 at Antigua.
He has also claimed 17 wickets in 13 one-day internationals.
Maharashtra, only the second Indian state to a hire a foreign coach in Australian Darren Holder, are keen to invite overseas cricketers this season.
Speculation is rife that veteran England paceman Darren Gough will also turn out for Maharashtra this season. “I have heard the rumours too but until they develop into discussions there is no point in me commenting,” Gough, 36, told a cricket website.
“If it came along it will be a wonderful opportunity to help youngsters out there using my experience.
“India is a wonderful part of the world, so I would definitely think hard about doing it.”
Gough, currently out of the squad due to a shin injury, has taken 229 wickets in Tests and 235 in one-day internationals.
Indian cricket board secretary Niranjan Shah has announced that each association can invite three guest players.
Foreigners have made brief appearances in domestic tournaments before.
England batsman Dennis Compton delighted the crowd in the 1940s, scoring more than 1,000 runs in 10 matches with seven centuries for Holkar state while serving as a soldier in the later stages of World War II.
Former West Indies opener Desmond Haynes, Englishmen Simon Jones, Kevin Pietersen and Angus Fraser, along with Bangladeshi cricketers have also figured in Indian domestic competitions.—AFP
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