Surrey sign Chawla for 2010
Surrey sign Piyush Chawla for 2010 domestic season
Wednesday, 21, Oct 2009 06:02
By inthenews.co.uk staff.
Surrey have announced the signing of Indian leg spinner Piyush Chawla for the 2010 domestic season.
The 20-year-old, who played for Sussex last season and took 36 first-class wickets, will return to England in 2010 after an explosive first season on these shores.
Chawla scored 102 not out from 86 balls and then took 6-152 as Sussex beat Worcestershire by ten wickets, then in his second game he took impressive match figures of 11-170 against Somerset.
He will join up with his new team-mates at the end of the 2010 Indian Premier League, where he plays for the Kings XI Punjab and has 29 wickets at an average of just over 24.
Surrey professional cricket manager Chris Adams said: "There were two clear objectives in picking our overseas signing for next season.
"I wanted the player to be of true international class and I wanted them to be able to commit to spending the vast majority of their season with us - Piyush fulfills both requirements handsomely.
"There is a fine spin tradition at Surrey which runs from Jim Laker and Tony Lock to Ian Salisbury, Harbhajan Singh and Saqlain Mushtaq and I hope our latest arrival will one day take his place alongside those names."
Managing director of Surrey cricket Gus Mackay added: "After the problems we have suffered in the past I am very pleased we can announce the signing of a world-class overseas player so early in our pre-season schedule.
"The knowledge of this signing will bring a solidity to our preparations that can only be highly beneficial."
The capture of Indian star Chawla is Surrey's third signing of the winter, with England internationals Steven Davies and Gareth Batty both joining the club from Worcestershire.
Click here to read the full interview with Gus Mackay on the signing of Piyush Chawla