Tanvir becomes a Twenty20 Bushranger

Victoria have secured the services of Pakistani allrounder Sohail Tanvir for this summer's Twenty20 domestic tournament. Tanvir, who last year turned out for South Australia in the event, has recently recovered from a back injury that has severely disrupted his 2009 season.

Tanvir's unorthodox, wrong-footed bowling action has proven successful in Twenty20 tournaments the world over. Tanvir, a left-armer, was among Pakistan's leading players at the inaugural World Twenty20 tournament in South Africa, and topped the wicket-taking list in the first Indian Premier League while representing the Rajasthan Royals.

Victoria have been searching for a second overseas player since Muttiah Muralitharan's withdrawal to play for Sri Lanka in matches against Bangladesh. Tanvir will join the West Indies allrounder Dwayne Bravo on the Bushrangers' books this season.

Tanvir has endured a difficult 2009 season, not least on account of the back injury that led to him losing his regular place in Pakistan's limited-overs line-up. He was turned away at London's Heathrow airport for not obtaining the appropriate visa after being offered a contract by Surrey, and will be unable to play in the 2010 IPL, after Lalit Modi announced Pakistan players would not be invited to participate.

Meanwhile, New South Wales are in talks with at least one member of the current West Indian touring squad for the Twenty20 tournament. The reigning Champions League victors last year recruited New Zealand's Brendon McCullum for the final in controversial circumstances, and are understood to have set their sights on an allrounder.