Essex snap up Harbhajan Singh for remainder of 2012 season – Cricket News Update
Essex County Cricket Club has signed out of favour Indian spinner http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Harbhajan-Singh-c61453 as their overseas player for the second half of the ongoing 2012 county season.
Calling the turbanator a match-winner, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Essex-c783 head coach Paul Grayson hoped his inclusion would lift the side's morale.
"Harbhajan is a great character and a match-winner," head coach http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Adrian-Paul-Grayson-c42130 told the Essex website. "I believe that his winning mentality will rub off on the rest of the playing squad," he added further.
Bhajji, who has not played for http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c56013 last summer, finds himself 10th on the list of all-time highest Test wicket takers with 406 scalps from 98 matches, at an average of 32.22. Overall,
he has 683 wickets in his name in the three formats of international cricket. In his 165 first class appearances, the Jalandhar born spinner has bagged 685 wickets at 28.91.
The right-arm off-spinner, who turned 31 on Tuesday, July 3, is set to make his debut for Essex in the Division Two championship game against http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Gloucestershire-c785, commencing at Cheltenham on July 11. He will play eight Championship
fixtures and seven Clydesdale Bank 40 matches for the club over the next couple of months.
The club has had little luck with its overseas signings so far this year, as injury ruled out their Australian import http://www.senore.com/Cricket/PM-Siddle-c2197, before he came to Chelmsford.
Chief executive http://www.senore.com/Cricket/David-Edward-East-c52762 hoped Harbhajan’s arrival at Chelmsford would enhance their chances of getting back to Division one.
"We said at the beginning of the year that we were serious about wanting to get back into Division One," he said.
"Hopefully this move [signing Harbhajan] will convey that message more robustly. We are very focused on trying to do everything we can to get into Division One for next year."
Essex middle-order batsman http://www.senore.com/Cricket/RS-Bopara-c2373 was quick to welcome Harbhajan to Chelmsford, via social media website, Twitter.
"Happy bday @harbhajan_singh & welcome to Essex eagles. I'm sure u will enjoy your time here & take lots of wickets," tweeted the middle-order batsman of England.
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