Hampshire lose North to Australia call

Marcus North leaves Hampshire's match against Warwickshire to join Australia's ODI squad in the United Arab Emirates

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Hampshire are set to be without an overseas player until the beginning of May after Australia called up Marcus North as injury cover for their one-day series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates.

The all-rounder will miss the remainder of Hampshire's LV= County Championship Division One match against Warwickshire at Edgbaston and will not be available rejoin the county until after Australia’s last one-day international on May 3.

North will be flown to the UAE to replace batsman Shaun Marsh, who suffered a hamstring injury in the opening match of the series yesterday, a four-wicket defeat.

It is further blow for the south-coast county who are waiting for Pakistani leg-spinner Imran Tahir to recover from a broken jaw he suffered while playing for the Titans in the final match of the recently-completed domestic South African season.

Hampshire first team manager Giles White said: “It’s obviously disappointing that we are going to lose a player of Marcus’ quality, but it opens the door for someone else in the squad to step up and take the opportunity given.

"At this stage I’m not sure when and if Marcus will be coming back, but we wish him all the best in Dubai in what I’m sure will be an exciting series for him.”

Cricket Australia national selection panel chairman Andrew Hilditch added: "This is very disappointing for Shaun particularly given how hard he was worked in his recovery from the previous injury.

"It is however a great opportunity for Marcus North to demonstrate his talents in the one-day arena with some important series to be played in the near future.

"While Marcus has been chosen primarily as a top-order batsman, his off-spin bowling will come in particularly handy in the conditions the team will face both in Dubai and Abu Dhabi."

Marsh will aim to recover his fitness in time to take part in World Twenty20 in England during June.

"Shaun has undergone scans this morning in Dubai which have shown a recurrence of the left hamstring injury he suffered during the Australian summer," Australian team doctor Trefor James said.

"The injury means Shaun is unavailable for selection in any of the remaining games in the United Arab Emirates and therefore a decision has been made to send him home immediately in order to begin his recovery.

"Shaun's recovery process will be monitored over the next two weeks before any decision can be made on his availability for the upcoming ICC Twenty20 World Championship in the United Kingdom."

The ECB has allowed North's replacement against Warwickshire, Michael Lumb, to bat in the second innings of the champsionship clash.