Hampshire chase replacement for injured Tahir

Hampshire have been hit with a pre-season injury concern in the form of legspinner Imran Tahir, who has a fractured jaw. Tahir, 30, was due to play in the county's opening matches but was hurt during a game for his South African domestic side Titans.

"It's a blow for us so close to the new season," team manager Giles White told BBC Radio Solent. "We're now waiting to see if Marcus North travels with Australia to Dubai before knowing our options."

Tahir joined Hampshire for the 2008 county season and was one of the better foreign signings, taking 44 wickets at 16.68 in seven Championship matches. Tahir, who was born in Lahore, qualified to play for South Africa as he is married to a South African woman. He became available to represent the country on April 1.

He has taken 330 first-class wickets at an average of 24.79 and 77 List A victims at 22.62. In the 2007-08 season he grabbed 31 wickets in six first-class games for the Titans and 14 in eight one-dayers at an average of 16.50 and economy-rate of 4.21.