Newly-promoted Idle have made the biggest signing of the close season in the SDS Bradford League.

After their disappointment in coming out second to Mohammed Hafeez's international commitments, they have attracted 34-year-old Pakistani batsman Ijaz Ahmed.

Idle skipper Mark Nicklin said: "I don't wish to be disrespectful to the players who have already signed for other clubs, but Ijaz is the biggest name to sign so far.

"His record speaks for itself. He has scored 3,300 Test runs at an average of 37, including 12 hundreds and 12 fifties.

"And his one-day international record of 6,500 runs at an average of 32, including ten hundreds and 37 fifties is phenomenal.

"Obviously we were interested in him when we heard he might be available, and we are very proud to have him at our club."

Ahmed, who has a private sponsor, will make his Idle debut at Woodlands on Saturday, April 26.

He is a straight replacement for Hafeez, whose commitments with the Pakistani team would have severely limited his availability this summer.

Nicklin said: "Mohammed was involved in the international tournament in Sharjah, will be involved in another coming up in Sri Lanka, and then has the triangular one-day tournament in England this summer.

"There was no problem over his work permit, but we just decided that it was unlikely that he would be free enough to make it worthwhile signing him."