Hampshire sign Shropshire batsman Bilal Shafayat

Hampshire have signed former England Under-19 captain Bilal Shafayat.

Shafayat, previously at Nottinghamshire and Northamptonshire, had taken up the professional's role at Shropshire on the Minor Counties circuit this summer.

The 27-year-old all-rounder, who was released by Nottinghamshire after the 2010 season, played domestic cricket in Pakistan in 2010/2011.

Shafayat played two second XI games for Hants in 2011 before returning to Northants on a match-by-match basis.

He then ended the season playing for Shropshire side Wellington in the Birmingham League.

Shropshire pulled off a coup by signing Shafayat during the winter and had high hopes that he would spearhead their push for honours in this year's Minor Counties campaign.

"It's a shame we won't have Bilal's services for the rest of the season," Shropshire skipper Ed Foster told BBC Radio Shropshire. "But we wish him well with Hampshire.

Shafayat earned notoriety as 12th man against Australia in the 2009 Ashes series, when he was the focus of controversy, twice appearing on the pitch during the final overs at Cardiff as last pair Jimmy Anderson and Monty Panesar successfully saved the first Test.

Australia captain Ricky Ponting consequently accused the England team of time-wasting.