Ntini barred from playing for Warwickshire

The United Cricket Board of South Africa has blocked Warwickshire's bid to sign Makhaya Ntini for the 2004 season. Warwickshire have had a long association with South African fast bowlers - Allan Donald and Shaun Pollock have both played for the club over a number of seasons - but there are concerns about Ntini's heavy workload.

"We received a request from Warwickshire to talk to Makhaya about him playing for them next summer," said a UCB spokesman. "He had spoken to Gerald Majola about the request, but as Makhaya is a bowler who will have played virtually nonstop since our tour to Bangladesh in April 2003, it was felt that it was important for him to have a rest and so the request was turned down."

Ntini has taken 123 wickets in 36 Tests at an average of 29.69, including 23 scalps in this summer's series against England. Warwickshire have had problems with overseas players this year because of injuries, with Shane Bond, Michael Clark, Collins Obuya, Waqar Younis and Corey Collymore all recruited to the staff for some stage of the summer.