THEY are delighted at Shelley for Muhammad Azharullah to finally be getting his chance in the County Championship.

The 29-year-old former East Bierley seamer, who was born in Pakistan and, until November, had been playing for the Water and Power Development Authority in Pakistani domestic cricket, has signed a one-year contract at Northamptonshire.

He qualifies as a non-overseas player in county cricket through residency, which was granted in February, and a UK passport, which he received in April (he is married to a British woman and lives in this country).

And he took three wickets in his debut spell last week when Northants drew with Hampshire in their rain-affected Division II game, impressing head coach David Ripley.

“I’m really pleased with Azhar, he’s been in good form for the second XI but the benchmark is how he does in the first-class environment,” said Ripley.

“He bowled with decent pace, he moved the ball and he got three good wickets.”

Coincidentally, Azhar replaced former Honley paceman Steven Crook in the Wantage Road line-up and Ripley added: “He’s been chomping at the bit for a game and there was a bit of horses for courses about it. Steven (Crook) is more a cutting edge strike bowler and that’s what Azhar is. The balance of the side has been good this season and we wanted to keep it the same.”

Azharullah made his first-class debut in 2004, and had played 53 first-class matches before lining up against Hampshire (190 wickets at 26.51 apiece). In List A cricket he had claimed 40 wickets, conceding an average of 5.27 runs per over, but he hasn’t played a T20 game since 2008.