Name: Jacob Joseph Martin Batting Style: Right Hand Bat Bowling Style: Leg Break Test Debut: Hasn’t played any Tests ODI Debut: India Vs West ndies, 1st ODI, DMC Cup 1999, Toronto

Guwahati, Sept. 30: Former international Jacob Joseph Martin will don Assam colours in the ensuing Ranji season.

The 36-year-old Baroda player had announced his retirement midway through the previous first class season. However, the BCCI has cleared his inter-state transfer today — the last date for inter-state transfer clearances.

Confirming the recruitment, Assam Cricket Association secretary Bikash Baruah said Martin, who represented India in 10 One Day Internationals between 1999 and 2001, will join Orissa recruit Rashmi Ranjan Parida and Bangalore left arm spinner Anand Katti as outstation professionals for Assam in the season ahead. Katti had earlier represented Assam in 2005-06 and 2006-07.

Though the ACA had also made efforts to recruit foreign internationals, mostly from Pakistan, such negotiations have fallen through.

“They wanted to play only in the final stages of the tournament. Besides the compensation packages they quoted were unaffordable,” Baruah said.

The presence of foreign internationals in the team, particularly in the plate group, assumes significance as Bengal have recruited Sri Lankan spinner Muthiah Muralitharan as one of the foreign recruits.

Assam is heading for a tough season ahead with several key players switching allegiance to the Indian Cricket League last year and only a few of the existing players have performed well since the last season.

Assam will open the season’s campaign against Bengal in Group B in the only home match of the season from November 3 to 6.

In the other matches, which are all “away” affairs, Assam will play Tripura from November 10 to 13, Madhya Pradesh from November 17 to 20, Vidarbha from November 24 to 27 and Services from December 1 to 4.

The former Railways and Baroda player Martin made his first class debut in 1991-92 and played 127 matches. He made his List A tournament debut in 1993-94. So far he has played 99 matches. In his ODI career, the right hand batsman has tallied 158 runs batting eighth in the innings.

His first class career tally has 8,563 runs, including 23 centuries and 44 half-centuries in 206 innings and the List A tournaments tally comprises 2,943 runs, including three centuries and 20 half-centuries, from 94 innings.

The leg break bowler has also tallied nine wickets in first class cricket.