Pakistan allrounder Arafat to play for Otago

Wellingotn: Pakistan allrounder Yasir Arafat will play for Otago province in New Zealand`s domestic 50-over and Twenty20 cricket competitions this season, coach Mike Hesson said.

Arafat, who has played three tests and 11 limited-overs internationals, has been named in the Pakistan squad which will play three Tests in New Zealand starting later this month.

The former Kent and Sussex county player will then join Otago as its overseas professional.

"He`s played a lot of cricket for Sussex and Kent, and he`s able to swing the new ball and reverse the old one," Hesson said. "In terms of what our skill mix is, he fits in nicely. I`m certainly expecting big things from him."

Otago is New Zealand`s current Twenty20 champion and played in last month`s Twenty20 Champions League in India.

Meanwhile, discarded England test batsman Ravi Bopara will attempt to relaunch his international career playing for Auckland province.

Bopara, 24 and a veteran of 10 Tests and 50 one-day internationals, will play in all forms of the game for Auckland this season, including New Zealand`s domestic first-class championship which starts next week.

The Essex batsman lost his place in the England Test team during last summer`s Ashes series against Australia and is hoping that a stint with Auckland will help him recover his form.

Bureau Report