Somerset director of cricket Brian Rose has revealed that his side will be enquiring about the possibility of signing Ricky Ponting.
Rose confirms interest in Australian batting great
Somerset director of cricket Brian Rose has revealed that his side will be enquiring about the possibility of signing Ricky Ponting for the end of the 2012 season.
Somerset will have South Africa bowler Vernon Philander on their books for the first two months of the season, while Chris Gayle and Albie Morkel will make up the overseas contingent during the Friends Life t20 campaign.
But with another overseas spot set to open up in the final months of the LV= County Championship campaign, Rose is keen to bring the Australia great back to the team where he spent a brief spell in 2004.
"Ricky Ponting had a great time for Somerset and everybody is delighted to see he's still interested in playing cricket," Rose told
Sky Sports.
"I know he's retired from one-day cricket but his first class career is still in operation. If at some stage both our interests come together then that (signing him) would be a possibility.
"I've made no direct contact with Ricky and I don't know his intentions, but now that that's come out Somerset will be enquiring about the situation."
He added: "After the t20 finishes we still have the ability to register another overseas player and we have been looking at that consistently since Christmas.
Limited
"With the future tours programme and other commitments that players have got these days, the choice is somewhat limited.
"What we were doing is waiting to see how we got off into the Championship, because we've still got seven important games in July and August and early September.
"(He is) a great player and I'm delighted that he is maybe interested in coming to Somerset."
There have been suggestions that Gayle may not be able to join Somerset for the 20-over campaign following reports that he is in talks over a return to the West Indies side, which will tour England in the summer.
Rose said: "At the moment out t20 players are Chris Gayle and Albie Morkel, if that changes we would go into the market very quickly I would think."
Ponting has admitted that it is very unlikely that he will play one-day international cricket again but has stated his desire to continue his Test and first class career.
The former Australia captain's stint with Somerset eight years ago is the only previous time he has played for an English county. He has played for the Australian state Tasmania since 1992.
