HAMPSHIRE captain Dimitri Mascarenhas is in contention to become the Indian Premier League's first England player tomorrow.

The all-rounder flew to Jaipur on Sunday and has spent the last 48 hours acclimatising ahead of his likely debut for the Rajasthan Royals against the Kolkata Knight Riders at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium tomorrow afternoon.

Mascarenhas is only available to play a maximum of five games for the Rajasthan Royals, who are without South Africa captain Graeme Smith for tomorrow's big game, so the likelihood is that Shane Warne will include his former Hampshire teammate, who returns on May 12.

Warne said: "Dimi Mascarenhas should be in contention for Thursday, but it is a shame he is the only English player on view.

"Well done to Rod Bransgrove, the Hampshire chairman, for seeing the bigger picture and releasing him."

Full story in today's Daily Echo