News

Harris omission affects Yorkshire plans

Yorkshire's plans for settling on their overseas player took an unexpected turn when Ryan Harris was omitted from Australia's World Twenty20 squad

Cricinfo staff
30-Mar-2010
Yorkshire's plans for settling on an overseas player for the 2010 season took an unexpected turn when Ryan Harris was omitted from Australia's World Twenty20 squad.
Harris was due to play for Yorkshire this season but was then called up for his Test debut against New Zealand two weeks ago, and had looked set to be named among the 15 to travel to the Caribbean for the World Twenty20 later this month. But the selectors opted for other seamers, leaving him free to play elsewhere - provided Cricket Australia have no objection - for the duration of the World Twenty20.
He will head out for the Indian Premier League at the conclusion of Australia's Test series in New Zealand, but when that finishes Harris could be freely available to Yorkshire for almost a month. Australia, however, have two mid-summer Tests against Pakistan in England and a five-match ODI series with England starting in June.
With Harris's availability still unknown, Yorkshire are considering signing West Indies fast bowler Tino Best - either as an overseas player, or possibly on a 'Kolpak' deal - after he impressed them during their recent pre-season tour of the Caribbean.
News of Harris's omission from Australia's Twenty20 squad took Yorkshire coach Martyn Moxon by surprise, as he had recently been talking up Best's prospects as a replacement for Daryl Tuffey - the man first signed as a potential replacement for Harris - after Tuffey broke his hand.
"We're working on that and we hope in the next couple of days we'll be able to officially say we've signed someone," said Moxon. "But until we get all the paperwork sorted, get clearance from the boards, it's difficult for me to say anything more than 'we're working on it."