Lancashire sign Noman Ali for final six County Championship fixtures

Noman Ali will be on hand nearby if Pakistan need spin-bowling cover for their Test series in England after he signed a six-match contract with Lancashire for the County Championship run-in. Noman, 39, made a stunning comeback to Pakistan's Test team for the final two Tests of their home series against England in late 2024. He took 20 wickets in two matches as Pakistan came from 1-0 down to win the series 2-1 and had a successful run in the side, but lost his place during their tour to Bangladesh earlier this year. Noman was replaced in the side by Ali Usman, another slow left-arm orthodox bowler, for Pakistan's tour to West Indies, who took six wickets in their eight-wicket win in the second Test at Queen's Park Oval to square the series. Usman has also been named in the squad that will tour England for three Tests, starting in Leeds on August 19, but Noman will be in the country and available to fill in if either Usman or offspinner Sajid Khan gets injured. In a statement released by Lancashire, Noman stated, "I am looking forward to playing for Lancashire and experiencing county cricket in England for the first time." "The County Championship is a great competition and I'm very excited to play at Emirates Old Trafford Cricket Ground. "Lancashire has a lot of history and is one of the biggest clubs in the UK. I am following in the footsteps of a Pakistan hero, in Wasim Akram, who played for Lancashire for many years. I'm looking forward to joining up with my new teammates and will be doing all I can to make an impact on and off the field." Although Lancashire is seventh in Division Two of the Championship, they still have a chance of promotion if they win all six of their remaining games. They have used two homegrown spinners this year in Tom Hartley and Arav Shetty, while Liam Livingstone and the Australian Chris Green both filled in for two mid-season games, but have opted to bolster their squad with a frontline, overseas spinner for the run-in. Mark Chilton, Lancashire's director of cricket, said: "Noman is a hugely skilful and experienced spin bowler, and we're delighted to bring him to Emirates Old Trafford Cricket Ground for the County Championship run in. "His record speaks for itself with the red ball - particularly for Pakistan over the last couple of years - and we believe his experience and know-how will make a real difference to us in these final six Championship games."