HAMPSHIRE’S Michael Lumb has become English cricket’s latest Indian Premier League signing after agreeing a deal with Rajasthan Royals.
Ireland-born Eoin Morgan was the only England-qualified player to be bought in Tuesday’s auction, with Test stars like Graeme Swann and Jonathan Trott unsold alongside other big international names like Pakistan’s Shahid Afridi and Australia wicketkeeper Brad Haddin.
But uncapped batsman Lumb was signed by Rajasthan, winners of the inaugural edition of the Twenty20 competition, in a deal reportedly worth around £30,000.
Non-international players can be signed outside of the live auction and Lumb’s former Hampshire captain Shane Warne, the Royals captain and coach, opted to add the 29-year-old to his roster after the main bidding had ended.
The Pakistan Cricket Board, meanwhile, have reacted with fury and disappointment after all of their players were left unsold in the Indian Premier League auction.
Pakistan’s Twenty20 captain Shahid Afridi headed a group of 11 Pakistan players who made the final list for the auction in Mumbai, but none were bought.
Afridi’s agent claimed that franchises had been advised not to bid for Pakistan players, while also criticising the Indian government’s stance on working visas.
Now PCB chairman Ijaz Butt has had his say.
‘‘We are highly disappointed because we were hoping they (Pakistan’s players) would play,’’ Butt said.
‘‘The IPL had given us the mandate to get permission from our foreign office, to obtain other clearances and to finalise visas.
‘‘We did all this, but it is a surprise that none of them have been taken at the auction.
‘‘We have been trying to get in touch with the concerned authorities but with no avail. I have asked the sports minister (Ijaz Jakhrani) to speak to his counterpart in India about this,’’ he said.
‘‘If they had told us we would have told the boys not to apply at all.’’
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