Oswestry CC chairman Chris Wiseman says the club have high hopes for the 2018 season overseas professional Rituraj Singh.

The former Indian A quick will replace Pakistan bowler Sadaf Hussain next summer as the Morda Road side face life in the First Division of the Birmingham League.

Wiseman admitted the club were targeting a return for the opening bowler but believes Singh will prove to be a more than able replacement.

“We looked again at getting Sadaf back but it didn’t work out,” he said.

“Rituraj has come recommended to us by the same agent who brought us Sadaf and his stats look very good.

“He’s played for India A as a bowler but he can bit a bit as well, so hopefully he can contribute a bit more to the team.

“We’re thinking he can definitely replace Sadaf as we have done our research on him. We think he can be as good as him.

“He should be here in April to start the season.”

The 27-year-old opening bowler has featured in 44 first-class matches, taking 147 wickets at an average of 28.57 and he made his first-class debut for Rajasthan against Saurashtra at Jaipur in 2011.

He has three first-class 50s to his name, scoring just under 1,000 runs at the top level, averaging around 18, and in his last season, he played for Goa taking seven wickets in his last four games.

He finished the Indian season in October