 | The no pressure environment will be a great way to work on my game and get back to match fitness |
Indian batting star Sachin Tendulkar is set to make his comeback after surgery on his left shoulder. He has agreed to play a series of games for English club side Lashings, the first in Cambridge on Wednesday.
"This is a great opportunity for me to get back into cricket, to get some batting practice, and to play matches that will help raise money for charity.
"I get the chance to play alongside international players, but not in games where every run counts," he said.
Tendulkar has not played since the Test series against England in March after rupturing a tendon in his shoulder.
But he has set his sights on making an international comeback when India travel to Sri Lanka for a triangular one-day series in August, also involving South Africa.
Lashings have attracted numerous star names to play for them in recent years and their current squad includes Courtney Walsh, Richie Richardson, Phil DeFreitas, Chris Cairns, Aravinda de Silva and Rashid Latif.
But the signing of Tendulkar is by far the biggest coup for chairman David Folb.
"With India being such a cricketing powerhouse, it is very exciting for us to have one of their biggest stars playing for us, attracting a whole new audience to Lashings games.
"Sachin Tendulkar's appearance for us will allow people to come and see one of the world's best ever players in action here in the UK," he said.
"The unique thing about Lashings World XI matches is just how close spectator get to our cricketing stars."
Lashings will play Cambridge University Cricket Club at Fenner's on Wednesday, to be followed by a game at Reigate CC next Sunday.
The following weekend the bowlers of Middleton CC in West Sussex will have a chance to bowl at Tendulkar, who will conclude his stint with Lashings in a match against Sutton Valence School in Kent on 6 July.
He is hoping for a change of fortune after a string of injuries that have kept the him out of action for long periods.
Last year he was sidelined for six months after needing surgery for tennis elbow and is still unsure how his most recent problem was caused.
"The doctors said I must have fallen on it," he commented.
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