Bagai signs contract with Canada

Ashish Bagai, the Canada captain, has signed a central contract with the national board and given up his banking job in Europe. Bagai was not part of the initial list of six players who signed contracts in June after failing to resolve compensation issues with Cricket Canada.

The board formalised a deal with him on August 1 and now will have his services up to the 2011 World Cup. The 27-year-old Bagai, a wicketkeeper-batsman, has scored 1197 runs at 32.35 in 43 ODIs over the last six years.

Canada's next assignments are the Intercontinental Cup and three ODIs against Kenya later this month.