Sarwan agrees deal

Date: Friday 10 February 2012

Leicestershire CCC is pleased to announce that Ramnaresh Sarwan has agreed a deal to become our overseas player for 2012.

Sarwan, who averages more than 40 in both tests and ODIs for the West Indies, has signed his contract and will join Leicestershire CCC for the entire 2012 season subject to clearance from the West Indies Cricket Board and a UK Work Permit.

The batsman will link up with the team in Barbados in mid-March on the pre-season tour and fly to the UK shortly before the start of the season.

Chief Executive Mike Siddall said "We are delighted to have completed the signing of Ramnaresh Sarwan.

“He has an impressive Test record and his availability to play all forms of the game for us during the 2012 season is an added bonus. We wanted to sign an experienced overseas batsman and Ronnie certainly fits the bill."

The 31-year-old Sarwan made an immediate impression on test debut by scoring 84 against Pakistan and then topped the averages of West Indies’ tour to England in 2000.

He made the first of 15 test centuries against Bangladesh and has a best score of 291 against England during a prolific series in 2009. Sarwan posted consecutive scores of 107, 94, 106 and 291 during West Indies’ 1-0 win in the five match series.

The batsman has played 278 international matches all told and has compiled 5,842 test runs and 5,644 in ODIs while having a strike rate of 104.19 in t20 internationals.

Sarwan has made four of his tons in the fourth innings of a test; that is a record he shares with Sunil Gavaskar, Ricky Ponting Graeme Smith and Younus Khan.

Sarwan is also a useful leg spin bowler, having taken 23 test wickets in his career. He has picked up 54 across all first-glass games and 37 in List A/t20.