Akmal in line for LV=CC debut

* Please note that on each day of the match from Sunday to Wednesday, play will commence at 12:30pm and is scheduled to close at 7:30pm. An extended tea interval will be taken between 2:30pm and 3.10pm with another shorter “supper” interval occurring between 5:10pm and 5:30pm.

Umar Akmal is looking to make the most of another opportunity after being named in the Leicestershire LV=CC squad to face Lancashire at Emirates Old Trafford (12.30pm start).

Akmal was originally signed to play four NatWest T20 Blast games but is now preparing for a third debut in the different competitions.

The Pakistan international played against New Zealand in the List A fixture last week and is now stepping into the 13-man squad for the Championship game in Manchester as Clint McKay is being rested.

He said: “It’s great to finally get the chance to play some county cricket. It’s no secret that I’ve been wanting to play some domestic cricket in England for a number of years, but for one reason or another the opportunity never arose.

“It was usually a case that I was touring with Pakistan, but as soon as I found out that Leicestershire were interested in signing me, I jumped at the chance and agreed to sign for them.

“The Leicestershire players are a great bunch of lads, Atif Sheikh has taken me under his wing and can translate anything I cannot understand and vice versa.

“He’s looking after me which is good of him and has helped me settle in. There’s a very good atmosphere in the dressing room and all the boys have made me feel very welcome. The fans have been very welcoming too and have been wishing me well.”

Akmal will also offer captain Mark Cosgrove another bowling option on a surface that generally offers some assistance to the spinners after an impressive showing against the New Zealand tourists last week.

The 25-year-old had only previously bowled nine overs in competitive games but sent down seven overs of off-spin for just 40 despite the Kiwis scoring at almost eight runs an over in their innings.

He said: “I bowl regularly in club cricket in Pakistan, so it’s not something which is totally alien to me. Over the years I’ve been bowling more and more in club cricket and I think my bowling has improved.

“I don’t think I will be the next Saeed Ajmal but it’s definitely a facet of the game that I am working on and I think as a batsman it’s always good if you can field well and bowl a few overs when needed.”

The match will be a notable one for Leicestershire given the club needs just three to record their 1,000,000^th run in their first-class history.

In-form Angus Robson will be one of the contenders to register that special moment. Leicestershire’s opener currently leads the way for County with 693 first-class runs, including 581 in the LV=CC.

Robson averages 41.50 and Ned Eckersley (550) and Niall O’Brien (317), are also very close to the 40 mark in the competition. Robson and Eckersley are both in the top six run gatherers in the division.

On the bowling front, seam trio Charlie Shreck, Ben Raine and McKay have 90 wickets between them and are in the top ten wicket-takers in the league. Shreck is leading the way with 33 victims at 31.36 while Raine has 30 and McKay 27. All three have a five-wicket haul this season and Shreck also has three four-fors to his name.

With McKay not playing in this game, Ollie Freckingham, Atif Sheikh and James Sykes come into contention.

County will be coming across the leading run-scorer and wicket-taker in the division in Ashwell Prince and Kyle Jarvis. The former South Africa international has scored 835 at 75.90 while former Zimbabwe international Jarvis needs three more to hit the 50-mark in what will be his ninth appearance of the summer.

Squad: Cosgrove (capt), Agathangelou, Akmal, Eckersley, Freckingham, Naik, O’Brien, Raine, Robson, Shreck, Sheikh, Sykes, Taylor.