London:Sri Lankan off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan has signed for his fourth stint with Lancashire and returns to the county as its second overseas player, after Australian Brad Hogg.

''Murali is one of the leading players in world cricket and we’re delighted that he will join up with us in 2007.'' ''His availability will of course work around his Sri Lanka commitments but he is a player who is able to make a significant impact over part of a season,'' Lancashire Cricket Manager Mike Watkinson said.

Murali made his Lancashire debut in 1999 and he has taken 152 first-class wickets for the county. He walked away with the Lancashire Player of the Year award in 1999 after taking 66 wickets in the six first-class matches in which he bowled.

He returned in 2005 to claim another 36 Championship wickets in six games before flying off in the middle of the Twenty20 Cup campaign to fulfill international commitments.

UNI