Rehman to finally makes his debut for Somerset
Abdur Rehman makes his long-awaited Somerset debut today in a match that could have a major bearing on the outcome of the LV=County Championship title race.
Second-placed Nottinghamshire visit Taunton with a 12-point advantage over the hosts after 11 fixtures, so a Somerset win would put them bang in contention to claim the famous pennant for the first time in their history.
With four of the club's last five games at Taunton, Director of Cricket Brian Rose remains optimistic of a sustained challenge and is keeping fingers crossed for a spell of dry weather to suit Pakistan left-arm spinner Rehman.
The forecast for the Notts game is showers and Rose admits that recent rain has made it difficult to prepare the type of track the newcomer would like.
He said: "I feel sorry for our groundstaff because the weather has made life so tough for them.
"We have contemplated playing two spinners against Notts, but it may well be that conditions are damp and will favour seam more.
"The great thing about having someone like Rehman is that world class spinner can take wickets on any surface, especially when it comes to bowling out the tail.
"He arrived on Saturday so he has had a couple of days to settle in with us and he has looked very good in practive.
"I expect him to get runs as well as wickets for us because he is a very useful lower order batsman and it will be good to have a left-hander going in around number eight,"
Rehman, 32, has taken 81 Test wickets, with a best of six for 25 against England last January, and 436 in first class cricket at an average of 26. He has a top Test score of 60 and has scored more than 2,500 first class runs. He was expected to make his Somerset bow last month, but a delay in obtaining a visa caused him to miss the last two Championship fixtures. Somerset are 20 points behind Warwickshire and Rose admits they will need to string at least a couple of four-day wins together to stand a realistic chance of overhauling the First Division leaders.
With Craig Kieswetter and Nick Compton absent through England Lions duty, Chris Jones is set to bat at three and Lewis Gregory at six against Notts, who are themselves without Samit Patel and James Taylor because of international call-ups. Craig Meschede is still under treatment for a finger injury and Somerset have named left-arm spinner Jack Leach in a squad of 12 following his Championship debut against Lancashire in the drawn match at Liverpool.
Somerset (from) M.Trescothick (capt), A,Suppiah, C.Jones, J.Hildreth, J.Buttler (wkt), L.Gregory, P.Trego, A.Rehman, A.Thomas, S.Kirby, G.Hussain, J.Leach.
PCN Staff Editor
