Cricket: Somerset catch Mushtaq

MUSHTAQ AHMED, the Pakistan leg-spinner who baffled England's batsmen this summer, has signed a three-year contract with Somerset. The 21-year-old will replace the South African paceman, Richard Snell, who is returning home at the end of the season to continue university studies.

Somerset have been tracking Mushtaq and the chief executive, Peter Anderson, said yesterday: 'I have been aware for some time that Richard was going home, so I asked our cricket manager, Bob Cottam, to draw up a short list. Obviously Mushtaq was high on that list.

'He is a fine acquisition and his leg spin will give us an even better balanced attack. We've seen him perform at the highest level. I've done my homework to land him.'

Mushtaq is the first overseas leg spinner to be taken on by an English county since the 1970s when Somerset had the Australian Kerry O'Keefe and the current Pakistan team manager, Intikhab Alam, was with Surrey.

Yorkshire are coming to the reluctant conclusion that re-signing Sachin Tendulkar as their overseas professional is an unlikely prospect.

Although India's touring dates next summer are still to be confirmed, Yorkshire understand that Tendulkar is likely to be required in July and August. As India are touring England in 1994, Yorkshire would thus see Tendulkar for a little more than two months in the next two years.

Their attention is now likely to turn to the Pakistan fast bowler, Aqib Javed, who spent one season with Hampshire.

Yorkshire are also to support a proposal to be put to the Test and County Cricket Board this week that England play Australia in a three-match floodlit tournament at Don Valley Stadium, Sheffield, next year. Don Robinson, who has promoted two floodlit tournaments in the last two years, invited TCCB officials to this week's matches and says they were impressed with the potential.

Richie Richardson, the West Indies captain, is keen to play county cricket next season. Richardson, currently Blackpool's professional in the Northern League, has been linked with Durham, who need to replace the Australian Test batsman, Dean Jones.

But the 30-year-old right- handed batsman says he has not spoken to the Championship new boys. 'I wish there was somebody who would have a word with me. I have no contract after a heavy winter, and will be free to speak to anybody.'

'It would be nice to get into county cricket because I have not played it before. I want to give it a shot for a few years.'

The Durham chief executive, Mike Gear, was unavailable to confirm whether the county was interested in Richardson.