Tanvir bid hit for six
10:01am Sunday 6th July 2008
THE Pakistan Cricket Board have denied Hampshire the chance to sign fast bowler Sohail Tanvir as their over-seas player.
The Hawks were keen to make Tanvir, considered one of the brightest fast-bowling prospects on the sub-continent, their third over-seas player of the season.
The 23-year-old was also set on the move to Hampshire as he hoped a spell in England would broaden his cricket education.
However, the PCB refused him permission to head to the Rose Bowl, preferring him to remain in Pakistan to prepare for the upcoming Champions Trophy.
Tanvir's career has taken off in the last year thanks to some fine Twenty20 performances.
He represented Pakistan at the inaugural ICC World Twenty20 and showed enough promise to be signed by Shane Warne for the Rajasthan Royals in the Indian Premier League.
There he was a revelation, taking a world record 6-14 in one game and finishing as the competition's leading wicket-taker as the Royals won the tournament.
Tanvir has since been a regular in the Pakistan one-day side, taking a career-best 5-48 against Sri Lanka in the Asia Cup on Sunday.
However, he has only played 26 first-class matches in four years at Rawalpindi and was keen to get more four-day experience under his belt by playing for Hampshire in the LV County Championship.
"The offer came because of Warne, who felt that a stint in Hampshire would help me further polish my skills," Tanvir said.
"I asked the board for clearance but they said it would be better if I remained with the national team and prepared for the upcoming commitments, including the Champions Trophy."
Hampshire are currently without an overseas player and are struggling to find one at present because of a packed international schedule.
When he was fit, New Zealand fast-bowler Shane Bond impressed during the first third of the season.
He was due to be replaced by Shane Watson, but the all-rounder was called up by Australia for their one-day series in the Caribbean.
Aussie all-rounder Ian Harvey, who played for the Hawks in the Twenty20 Cup, has now left the Rose Bowl.
New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori, who has been linked with Hampshire, is currently enjoying a well-earned rest following his country's tour of England, but another spinner, Australian Stuart MacGill, is a real option.
The leg-spinner may be 37 but he has said that he wishes to continue playing first-class cricket, despite his retirement from the international arena.
More options could also become available to Hampshire manager Paul Terry when the Asia Cup, which involves Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka, finishes this weekend.