Du Plessis keen to prove his worth

8:49am Wednesday 14th May 2008

FRANCOIS Du Plessis has admitted he turned down a three-year contract with Nottinghamshire at the end of the 2006 domestic summer.

Lancashire's newest star wants the chance to show them exactly what they are missing by pressing for a County Championship debut at Trent Bridge today.

The South African batsman was an instant Roses hero with an unbeaten 77 to help beat Yorkshire in the Friends Provident Trophy one-day game on Sunday.

And now the Kolpak player is determined to continue his fine start by performing on the four-day arena, too.

But it seems more likely that Du Plessis will have to bide his time a little bit longer to make his LV Division One bow for his new county because of their seam bowling problems.

Despite the fact that he bowls tidy leg-spin, the former South Africa Under-19s international could miss out in favour of Steven Croft, who will be a handy fourth seamer behind Dominic Cork, Sajid Mahmood and Oliver Newby.

"There is a bit of history," he said of the links between himself and the Trent Bridge side, having spent a brief and successful spell in their second team where he scored three successive hundreds, including an unbeaten 203, as well as scores of 81, 95 and 72.

"I would like to play that game knowing that they will be a little scared that I may do it again," added Du Plessis.

"I really want to show them that I want to do well for Lancashire and against them.

"They offered me a three-year contract but, at that time of my life, I was young, inexperienced, and wasn't really for moving to England and playing cricket here."

Atherton pro Steve Mullaney comes into Lancashire's 13-man squad.

England have confirmed Andrew Flintoff would have made his Test comeback against New Zealand tomorrow had he not suffered an untimely side strain.

The 30-year-old all-rounder was the subject of fevered speculation throughout last week about his prospects of playing his first Test in 16 months after some outstanding bowling performances for Lancashire.

Olympic silver medal for Jason