Overseas signing Parnell may have to be patient ahead of Northants debut

Wayne Parnell is playing for Northants IIs in their clash with Derbyshire at the County Ground

The South African all-rounder is now out of quarantine following his arrival in the United Kingdom, and is playing in the second team's current clash with Derbyshire at the County Ground.

Parnell remained a spectator on Tuesday's day one as Northants piled on the runs, with Saif Zaib and Emilio Gay both hammering big centuries as the County IIs posted 415 a mammoth for two.

The former Worcestershire man will be hoping to get into the action on day two, but is then likely to be then withdrawn from the match to travel to Old Trafford for the first team's LV= Insurance County Championship clash with Lancashire.

Head coach David Ripley is keen to integrate Parnell into the squad, and says the player has settled well, but he also admits the match against Lancashire is likely to come too soon for the 31-year-old to make the starting XI.

"Wayne hasn't particularly done anything yet apart from being a good lad around the camp," said Ripley, who was delighted with his team's performance in their opening draw with Kent last weekend.

"He is doing everything we are asking of him in terms of building him up to be ready, but in my opinion I don't think we will be rushing him in to play.

"He was tracked and traced, he only got out the first day of the Kent game, so one week to get himself up to bowl I don't think is very realisttic.

"He will probably come up to Old Trafford where we can get him in amongst the lads, continue his practice and his work up there and he'll then be very handily ready to come in for game three (against Glamorgan next Thursday, April 22).

"And I think actually by then we should starting to think about whether anybody might need a rest from our group, so the masterplan is that Wayne is ready for that game I guess."

The second team enjoyed a runfest at Wantage Road on Tuesday, with Gay ending the day unbeaten on 161 from 272 balls, hitting 18 fours, with Zaib having earlier raced to 140 from 177 balls, smacking 18 fours and two sixes.

The pair put on 234 for the first wicket.

Luke Procter, who has recovered from the side strain that kept him out of the pre-season friendlies and the first game against Kent, then hit a breezy 70 from 111 balls as the County punished the Derby bowling.

Other first team squad players involved in the four-day clash include Richard Levi, Simon Kerrigan and Brandon Glover, who is also 100 per cent fit after shaking off a shoulder problem.