Asif looking for county stint to keep in touch with game

Pakistan's banned pacer Mohammad Asif is trying to negotiate a contract with an English county to keep himself in touch with the game while serving the punishment handed out to him for failing a dope test.

Asif is serving a one-year ban imposed on him by the Indian Premier League drugs inquiry tribunal for testing positive during a dope test last year during the IPL. The ban period ends on September 22.

The pacer has not played for Pakistan since last year as he was also suspended by the Pakistan Cricket Board since July 15 for the failed dope test. "I just want to keep myself fit and ready for my return to international cricket when the ban period ends," Asif, who has played 11 Tests, said.

"I am keen to play for my country again. By playing club cricket it would allow me to keep myself in touch with the game and also fit," he said.

Asif, however, declined to name the club he was negotiating with. The pacer also claimed that the ban imposed on him by the IPL didn't bar him from playing club cricket. "That is my understanding according to the documents we have got from the IPL," he added.

No senior official of the PCB was available to confirm if the IPL ban excluded club cricket activities. Asif said he was disappointed that the IPL drugs inquiry tribunal had not accepted the PCB's request PCB to start his ban period from July 15, the day the PCB had suspended him from all cricketing activities.

"That is all the support the board has given me in my case. But anyway what is done is done and hopefully that time would come soon when I can resume my career," he said.