English county club Lancashire has announced that Australia's World Cup-winning all-rounder James Faulkner has joined them for the bulk of their upcoming domestic season.
Following his stint in the Twenty20 Indian Premier League, Faulkner would arrive at Lancashire to replace compatriot Peter Siddle, who would play in the Red Rose's opening four first-class County Championship matches before joining the Australia squad for a tour of the West Indies and subsequent Ashes series in England.
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Faulkner was named Man-of-the-Match after delivering match figures of 3 for 36 as Australia dismissed New Zealand for just 183, in their seven-wicket World Cup final win at the Melbourne Cricket Ground last month, Sport24 reported. The Australian said in a club statement that Lancashire is a huge county with a fine history in the game and he is looking forward to joining the squad next month.
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The all-rounder added that playing in English conditions would benefit his career and he cannot wait to work with Ashley Giles and the rest of the team. Lancashire head coach Giles said that Faulkner is a 'world-class cricketer' and they are 'absolutely thrilled' to bring him to Lancashire, adding that while the Australian is better known at the moment for his performances in ODI cricket, his record in first-class cricket is fantastic.
The former England left-arm spinner also said that having Faulkner is a real boost for the club and he is certain that Lancashire fans would be delighted at the prospect of watching him play this season.
