Lancs in for third spinner

CHRIS OSTICK LANCASHIRE are set to sign a third new spinner this season as they look to escape relegation from Division One of the Specsavers County Championship.

Having already signed Mark Watt and Zahir Khan, the Red Rose will add South African left-armer Keshav Maharaj to their squad for the final four matches of the campaign.

The 28-year-old, who has played 22 Tests – the latest against Sri Lanka at Colombo in July – will come in as a replacement for overseas seamer Joe Mennie, who has returned to Australia as planned to prepare for his domestic season Down Under.

Maharaj, who has 90 Test wickets, will play just Championship cricket, so isn’t available for the Vitality Blast Finals Day at Edgbaston.

He will go straight into the squad for tomorrow’s Championship match with Worcestershire at Southport.

This season Lancashire have lost the services of spinners Simon Kerrigan – who is taking a break from the game after a run of poor form – and Liam Livingstone, who is injured.

Stephen Parry has dropped out of favour in all formats, while Arron Lilley has barely bowled when he has played in the Blast.

Lancashire – who were tipped by many as title favourites at the start of the season – are bottom of Division One, six points behind second-bottom Worcestershire and 11 from safety, but have played one more game than all their relegation rivals.