Kabir Ali Moves To Lancashire

Kabir Ali Moves To Lancashire

Kabir Ali enjoyed a successful career with Worcestershire before moving to Southampton.

©Action Images / Lee Smith

Lancashire have made Kabir Ali their first signing of the winter as they look to bolster a bowling attack that has already witnessed the departures of Naqaash Tahir, Gary Keedy, Sajid Mahmood and Ajmal Shahzad.

Ali moves from Hampshire, where he was out of contract after three seasons, and will bring a wealth of experience to a relatively young bowling attack.

“Lancashire is a fantastic club with a proud history and great traditions. I am excited at the prospect of working under Peter Moores and his coaching team as well as playing alongside Glen Chapple, who is still one of the best in the country,” Ali said. “Lancashire has an exciting and emerging squad, and I am looking forward to playing my part in the challenges ahead.”

Lancashire cricket director Mike Watkinson added, "We are pleased to bring in Kabir, whose experience and proven track record in all forms of the game will be of great benefit to our bowling unit."

Ali’s career has been one that has been blighted by injury in recent times. Born in Birmingham, he began his professional career with Worcestershire in 1999 - the same club that his cousins Kadeer and Moeen Ali have also represented - and has played one Test match and 14 One-Day Internationals for England between 2003 and 2006. He moved to Hampshire for the 2010 season following an injury-hit 2009 at New Road, but, largely because of injury, has struggled to maintain a consistent place in their first-team.

Last season, he played eight LV= County Championship games for them, taking 22 wickets at an average of 34.95. Overall, his first-class record is an impressive one - almost 500 wickets at an average of less than 28.

Whether Peter Moores and the Lancashire physio can get the best of him as they look to push for promotion in 2013 remains to be seen, but, if they can, he is still capable of bowling at a decent pace and could prove to be one of this winter’s more inspired signings.

© Cricket World 2012