BCCI thwart Sachin's Middlesex plan?

Shaun Udal, skipper of the English county side Middlesex has accused BCCI of trying to "scupper" their plan to sign senior India batsman Sachin Tendulkar for the domestic Twenty20 tournament.

Shaun Udal, skipper of the English county side Middlesex has accused BCCI of trying to "scupper" their plan to sign senior India batsman Sachin Tendulkar for the domestic Twenty20 tournament.

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Udal said their effort to make Tendulkar play for their side later this year might end in smoke as a tournament was scheduled in the sub-continent in June, date of which clashes with the English domestic T20 competition.

"We know he (Sachin) is very keen and basically he would love to come but the Board of Control for Cricket in India have not been as positive as Sachin would like," Udal told BBC Radio.

"They're trying to organise a tournament in June of this year which might scupper our plans for Sachin. But he's got a house in St John's Wood, he's local to the place and it would be great for Lord's if we could get him," Udal added.

Tendulkar last played in the English county in 1992 for Yorkshire when he was just 19-year-old and scored more than 1,000 runs with an average of 46.52.

The off-spinner, who have already signed up Australian hard-hitter Adam Gilchrist, said Middlesex was "very interested" in signing up South African Mkhaya Ntini if the paceman make himself available.