ANDREW Gale is hopeful but not expectant of being signed up to play in the new Pakistan Super League Twenty20 competition in February.

The Yorkshire four-day captain has put his name on the draft list alongside a host of county players, including team-mates Tim Bresnan, Adil Rashid and David Willey.

In an ideal world, Gale would like to play some cricket outdoors this winter as he prepares for the new season.

The left-handed batsman has endured a frustrating pre-season or two of late due to injury, but is confident this one will be different.

The draft, which includes some of the game’s top names such as Chris Gayle, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene and Jimmy Anderson, is set to take place next week ahead of the five-team tournament in Dubai and Sharjah.

“It would be a good opportunity for me if I can get in,” said Gale, 32, who put himself forward for the Indian Premier League draft in 2010 but was unsigned.

“The chances of getting in, I think, are pretty low considering the players that are in it. But I’ve chatted to my agent, and we think it’s a good opportunity to get some form going into the season.

“If you look at our line-up next year, it’s going to be tough to get in that top three. If I can go and do well in the Pakistan Super League, go on pre-season and do well in the Twenty20 competition there, I can give Alex (Lees) and Jason (Gillespie) a headache.

“I’ve been a little bit unlucky with the injuries that I’ve had and the timing of them in recent winters. Come Christmas I’ve always been in great nick, but then around February I’ve seemed to pick up a niggle that’s hung around.

“My aim this year is to be fit for pre-season in Abu Dhabi and play as much as I can over there.”

The involvement of Rashid and Willey in the PSL is unlikely due to England limited overs commitments in South Africa, but Gale and Bresnan could come up against each other if selected.

“There are a lot of international cricketers in there and my form hasn’t been great in Twenty20 for the last few years, so I’d be very surprised if I got picked up,” Gale added. “But the club are fine with me putting my name forward.

“If I do play, it would be nice to come up against Brez and launch him into the stands a few times!”

Former Yorkshire spinner Azeem Rafiq, currently without a county, has also put his name forward for the competition.

The franchises involved will be from Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar and Quetta.