ON-GOING uncertainty around Bangladesh's international fixtures has meant that Evesham have been forced to cancel their contract with Mohamad Ashraful for the 2008 season.

Pakistan are still looking to organise a tri-nations series involving Bangladesh, India or Sri Lanka after the Indian Premier League finishes on June 1 and before the start of the Asia Cup on June 24.

This would mean losing Ashraful for far longer than the club anticipated which would have a detrimental impact on their Birmingham League Division Two season.

"We signed contracts with Ash on February 26", said an Evesham spokesman. "At that stage, the Australian tour of Pakistan was still very much on and Bangladesh had no fixtures from the end of March until June 24.

"Australia then pulled out of their planned tour to Pakistan and a degree of uncertainty about Ash's participation in our league campaign kicked in.

"Pakistan hastily arranged an additional series against Bangladesh to help plug the gap left by the Aussies, which put Ash's arrival back slightly, but it's the on-going prospect of this additional tri-series which has meant we have had to think again.

"Ash is very disappointed not to be able to be with us this summer but we will see what happens in the future. It is certainly something both parties would be interested in looking at again at some stage."

Ashraful's agent Steven Hirst, of CricX, said: "It's very frustrating that the Ashraful deal has had to be dropped. I know both parties were very much looking forward to the season ahead."

Evesham's first league game is at home to St George's on Saturday, May 3, starting at 1pm.