MEDDELELSER mv

For første gang i den danske crickethistorie er vi blevet leverandør til det engelske testhold.
Det sker i form af Amjad Khans udtagelse til det engelske Testhold, der den kommende tid skal spille nogle testkampe mod Indien – og i Mombai, hvis forholdende bliver godkendt efter de mange uroligheder, der har været i den sidste tid i den indiske storby.

Amjad Khan er foretrukket i den engelske Test - trup frem for Sajid Mahmood, fordi han har imponeret den engelske træner Peter Moores under træningen på Sheikh Zayed Stadium i Abu Dhabi.

Amjad Khan udtaler til de engelske medier, at det er en drøm der går i opfyldelse, og at han håber denne tur ikke bliver aflyst, hvis uroligheder bryder ud igen.

For dansk cricket betyder det, at vores bestræbelser på at få Amjad med til VM-kval. i Sydafrika til foråret er definitivt slut – de internationale regler foreskriver, at hvis Amjad blot spiller en enkelt kamp for England, er han låst for at spille for Danmark.

Det er naturligvis et stort tab for dansk cricket. Vi havde håbet på, at Amjad Khan kunne være med til at hjælpe os ved B-VM i Sydafrika, og han havde faktisk i en samtale med vores engelske assistenttræner, den tidligere testbowler Niel Foster, ytret interesse i at spille for Danmark, hvis han ikke blev udtaget til det engelske landshold.

Det er naturligvis forståeligt, at Amjad Khan vælger at spille på det engelske landshold, så må dansk cricket nøjes med at være glad på hans vegne, og samtidig være en smule stolt over, at man kan bruge et ”produkt” fra dansk cricket på allerhøjeste niveau i cricketspillets moderland.

Jørgen Jønsson

Dansk Cricket - Forbund
 

Fra BBC 7. december:

England call up Khan and Rashid

Kent fast bowler Amjad Khan, 28, has been added to England's squad for the two-Test series in India.

Yorkshire leg-spinner Adil Rashid, 20, will also travel to Chennai if the tour goes ahead but has not been officially added to the squad.

The two newcomers have been promoted from the Performance group currently with the senior squad in Abu Dhabi.

England's players are still awaiting a security report on India before making a final decision on whether to tour.

Khan has been named as the official replacement for Ryan Sidebottom, who has endured an injury-plagued year and will play no part in India.

Amjad Khan
Khan has impressed the England coaching staff in Abu Dhabi
"I must have done something right in the last couple of days," said Khan, who was given the nod ahead of Lancashire's Sajid Mahmood.

"Saj and I got picked for the one-dayers and I thought if they were going to then, there was no reason they should not pick me for the Tests.

"I thought I had a chance but I knew it would come down to form on the day - that sort of stuff."

Sidebottom's Nottinghamshire team-mate Stuart Broad is not in the running for the first Test with a hamstring injury.

But if the tour is confirmed, he will fly directly from the UK to Chennai in an attempt to force his way into the side for the second match in Mohali.

The other players are spending Sunday in Abu Dhabi, waiting for ECB managing director High Morris to report back to them on the security situation in Chennai.

They are then due to fly onto the southern Indian city on Monday should there be a collective agreement to tour.

However, individual players may still pull out, which would improve Khan's chances of a first Test cap.


606: DEBATE
With the inclusion of Rashid, this means England now have three spinners

268surrey
Born in Copenhagen and a former member of the Danish national team, Khan's first full season for Kent was in 2002, when he claimed an impressive 63 wickets.

He was awarded British citizenship in December 2006 and earned a place at the Academy. However, a serious knee injury forced him home and reconstructive surgery kept him out of the entire 2007 season.

"I would be lying if I said I didn't doubt I would play again. Every day you have that doubt in your mind but you do your rehab and it started getting better, which gave me a lot of confidence," he said.

Rashid's best season in the Championship came last summer, when he took 62 wickets, and he is also a proficient batsman.

He has impressed for England at youth level, with a century and an eight-wicket haul in an under-19 Test against India.

In 2007, he struck his maiden Championship century.