ESPN: Portsmouth CC ‘aim to make statement’ by signing former Ba…

Now 39, the top order batter played 269 times for his country – 61 Tests, 175 one-day internationals and 23 T20 internationals.

His highest Test score was 190 against Sri Lanka in 2013 and he famously made a one-day century – 100 off 101 balls- when Bangladesh beat Australia at Cardiff just before the legendary 2005 Ashes series took place.

And Ashrafal has already wasted no time in showing his new team-mates what he can do in this summer’s Southern Premier League second tier promotion bid.

Arriving in the UK last Thursday, he struck 66 off 64 balls against Waterlooville in a friendly two days later and 24 hours after that retired after reaching 100 in another warm-up game against Portsmouth University at St Helens.

He is in line to make his competitive debut this Sunday in a National Cup tie against Sussex outfit Middleton, also at St Helens.

Portsmouth chairman Matt Shaw told The News: “We’ve had Fraser Hay as our overseas player for four out of the last six seasons and he has big shoes to fill.

“We got on the front foot as soon as last season ended. We spoke to an agent and Mohammad’s name cropped up – I thought ‘you only live once!’

“By bringing in a player of that calibre, we’re looking to make a statement.

“He’s also an ICC level 3 coach, so it will be a massive boost for the colts to be coached by him.”

Ashraful played the last of his 183 first class matches in February last year, ending his career with 9,192 runs at 28.63 with 28 centuries. Of those, he compiled 2,737 Test runs at 24.00.

He is no stranger to the vagaries of an English summer, having spent the 2019 and 2022 seasons playing for Lillington Park in the Derbyshire League.

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