Kartik Murali is to stay with Lancashire until the end of the season as their overseas replacement for Brad Hodge.

The Indian left-arm spinner has already appeared in the C&G Trophy final and last weekâ..s Championship game against Warwickshire at Blackpool. Kartik, in his second spell with Lancashire having taken 16 Championship wickets in the last two games of 2005, has taken over the clubâ..s first overseas slot which Hodge filled until late June. The Australian was Top End series and a training camp.

â..We needed to sort out certain documentation so that Kartik could stay with us and this has been completed," said Jim Cumbes, the Lancashire chief executive.

Kartik, named in a squad of 12, could play his first Pro40 game against Essex at Chelmsford tomorrow.