Rehman handed Somerset remit
Pakistan left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman is set to join Somerset for the rest of the season, subject to him being granted a visa.
Somerset have been trying to sign a spinner to cover for George Dockrell, who will be on international duty for much of the next two months.
Rehman is midway through his 17th Test, versus Sri Lanka at Colombo, and has also played in 23 one-day and seven Twenty20 internationals. His first 16 Tests yielded 32 wickets, including 19 during the 3-0 whitewash of England at the start of the year.
Abdur Rehman, left, picked up 19 wickets during Pakistan's 3-0 Test whitewash of England at the beginning of this year
“Contracts have been signed with Rehman and a ‘no objection clause’ certificate has been sent to us by the Pakistan Cricket Board,” director of cricket Brian Rose told Somerset’s website.
"It just remains for Abdur to sort out a visa and, once that is done, we hope he will be with us in time for our championship game with Warwickshire at Taunton, starting on 18 July."
In the previous two seasons Somerset relied heavily on Murali Kartik’s spin, but he left in October and since signed for Surrey.
"We looked at other possible targets, but he was always high on the list," Rose said of Rehman. "He has an excellent first-class record, with a bowling average not dissimilar to Murali Kartik's.
"Rehman also bats reasonably well, going in around number eight, so that was also a plus point when it came to signing him.
"The other positive is that he is not currently in Pakistan's T20 side, so once he joins us he should be available for the remainder of our season.”
