June 03, 2008	Tuesday	Jamadi-ul-Awwal 28, 1429

MANCHESTER (England), June 2: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has rejected a request from English county side Lancashire to allow Mohammed Yousuf to miss this month's tri-series against India and hosts Bangladesh, a Lancashire spokeswoman confirmed on Monday.

The club signed Yousuf, 33, last month to cover for their Australian overseas player Brad Hodge who belatedly agreed to play in the just-concluded Indian Premier League.

Yousuf's stay was extended when Hodge was required by Australia on their West Indies tour, to cover for Michael Clarke who was on compassionate leave due to the failing health of his fiancee's father.

“The PCB have been brilliant and very helpful in allowing Yousuf to extend his contract with us after Brad was needed in the Caribbean,” the spokeswoman said.

“We just hoped that they may allow us to keep him a little bit longer and we asked the question but they indicated that they wanted to take a full-strength squad to Bangladesh so he will be heading back to Pakistan on Tuesday.”—Reuters