Rediff

London, Jul 19: Vangipurappu Laxman has been signed up by English county Lancashire for the second half of the season as a replacement for Australia's Brad Hodge.

The 32-year-old, who has scored 4878 runs at 42.41 from 80 Tests, will play the three-Test series against England, starting Thursday, and then stay back to make his county cricket debut.

The stylish right-hander is yet to get the Board of Control for Cricket in India's not, but it seems that is only a formality.

"I'm so thrilled to be signing for a great club like Lancashire for my first taste of county cricket," Laxman, who was discarded from the Indian one-day side in 2005, said.

"It's something I've wanted to do for a long time and, hopefully, I will play my part in the club's success."

Lancashire cricket manager Mike Watkinson felt Laxman's experience would come handy for the club, which will be without two of its main batsmen -- Hodge and Mal Loye -- due to the upcoming Twenty20 World Championship.

"We are going to be without Brad Hodge for what looks likes a significant period towards the end of the season," Watkinson said.

"With Mal Loye likely to be involved in the Twenty20 World Cup, we could possibly be without two experienced batsman and we feel that Laxman will bring the quality needed at a crucial time of the season.

"I'm delighted that we have been able to secure a player of his pedigree, following what we hope will be a successful Test Series for him," he said.

India's next Test series is against Pakistan, at home in November.