 | Lancashire are a big club with ambitions to match |
Lancashire have signed New Zealand's Nathan Astle to provide cover while Brad Hodge is on international duty. Hodge is due to play for Australia in an A team tournament, which starts next month, and join the senior squad in August for a pre-Ashes training camp.
"Nathan will provide quality and experience. His record speaks for itself," said manager Mike Watkinson.
Astle has already had three spells in county cricket with Derbyshire, Durham and Nottinghamshire.
"Lancashire are a big club with ambitions to match and I want to help them win trophies, said the 34-year-old, who is set to make his debut in the C&G Trophy game against Warwickshire on 25 June.
"I know they have top-class facilities and back-up, and I'm looking forward to playing on a great Test match ground like Old Trafford."
Astle has played 79 Tests and 212 one-day internationals, scoring a combined total of more than 11,500 runs.
In 2002 he scored the fastest double century in Test history off 153 balls against England at Christchurch, an innings which saw him hit 4-6-6-4-6-6-6 off seven consecutive deliveries from paceman Andy Caddick.
He is also a useful medium pace bowler who only needs one more wicket to reach 100 in limited overs internationals.
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