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Naqaash Tahir signs with Lancashire

Naqaash Tahir, the seamer released by Warwickshire at the end of the 2011 season, has signed for county champions Lancashire on a one-year deal

George Dobell
George Dobell
13-Mar-2012
Naqaash Tahir, the seamer released by Warwickshire at the end of the 2011 season, has signed for county champions Lancashire on a one-year deal.
Twenty-eight-year-old Naqaash spent eight years in and out of the first team at Edgbaston. A medium-fast bowler capable of moving the ball both ways in the air and off the pitch, he enjoyed some inspired performances, including a career-best seven for 107 against Lancashire at Blackpool.
Warwickshire, however, blessed with a strong batch of fast bowlers and frustrated by some perceived fitness problems from Naqaash, declined to take up the option of the final year of his contract. Naqaash has also played just 15 List A games - and none at all in T20 - taking just five wickets in his limited-overs career.
Lancashire also have a coterie of good seamers and Naqaash is expected to start in the second team and provide cover for the first team.
It is understood that Derbyshire offered Naqaash a contract, while he also had trials at Sussex and Kent.
Meanwhile Naqaash's former Warwickshire team-mate, Maurice Holmes, is having trials at Somerset, Essex, Worcestershire and Kent. Holmes, an offspinner who bowls the doosra and has an action reminiscent of Muttiah Muralitharan, was reported for a suspect action last season and, following tests, was warned - though not banned - from using his doosra in future.

George Dobell is a senior correspondent at ESPNcricinfo