Lancashire sign Symonds

Lancashire have signed Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds, as their replacement for Muttiah Muralitharan.

Murali left the county to join his national side, for the two-Test series against West Indies, and the following tri-series, also involving India.

Symonds, who is intrinsic part of Australia’s ODI side but wasn’t named in the Ashes squad, starts duty with immediate effect.

Mike Watkinson, the Lancashire cricket manager said, “We’re delighted that a player of Andrew’s quality will be joining up with us. Hopefully he will be the right sort of player to bring the best out of our squad for the second half of the season.”

Symonds has had quite a bit of experience in English counties, having played earlier for Kent and Gloucestershire.

Symonds said, “I’ve enjoyed my recent spell with the Aussie one-day squad and I’m looking forward to continuing my summer with Lancashire. They are a strong unit and I want to play my part in their push for promotion in the Championship – as well as in the other competitions. I was pleased when Mike Watkinson asked me to join and I’m keen to start as soon as I can.”

Lancashire will be hoping that Symonds continues his impressive form from this season’s ODIs, in which he has scored 248 runs at an average of 60, and also took six wickets costing 29 each.