The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Northamptonshire hopes Ganguly will join squad

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Saturday, May 13, 2006

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Sport - Cricket

Northamptonshire hopes Ganguly will join squad

London: Confirming that the county is negotiating with Sourav Ganguly, Northamptonshire chief executive Mark Tagg said the former India captain is likely to join the club on a five-week contract in June as replacement for Australia `A' call-up Chris Rogers.

Tagg told BBC Sports that Ganguly, if left out of the Indian team for the Test series against the West Indies, is likely to join the county, which needs a replacement for Rogers.

``We are in talks with Ganguly and his agent. Nothing has been signed, but he is our number one target,'' Tagg said.

``During the Twenty20 is where we're going to miss Chris and Ganguly's a quality batsman with huge experience,'' he said.

Out of favour Ganguly will know his future when the selectors name the Test squad on May 24.

If Ganguly joins the club, Northamptonshire will be hoping for a deadly Twenty20 partnership at Wantage Road with South African Lance Klusener also in the ranks. Ganguly last played Test cricket in Pakistan in February and was ignored for the home series against England.

Last year, Ganguly had a brief county stint with Glamorgan and the southpaw had also shared the Lancashire dressing room with England's stand-in captain Andrew Flintoff.

And if he signs for Northamptonshire, Ganguly will join Bishan Singh Bedi, Kapil Dev and Anil Kumble — all of whom have played for the county. — UNI

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