Shoaib Akthar played for Berkswell

Entertainment Cricket and Other Sports
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**Fastest bowler plays village game **

The fastest bowler in the world has helped a village cricket team to victory in the West Midlands - by showing his batting skills.

As Pakistan faced England in the third Test, their paceman Shoaib Akhtar scored 57 runs off 31 balls in just 26 minutes for little Berkswell.

Akhtar, who is returning from an ankle injury, played against the St George’s club, from Telford, Shropshire.

He went on to take the last two St George’s wickets.

His presence at the match helped attract some 500 spectators.

Berkswell club member Paddy Milnes told BBC News: “Normally we can expect one man, a cat and a dog.”

Berkswell’s social secretary Jem Leach said: "It had been a good afternoon - he has played his part.

“He hasn’t come here as superstar and lorded it.” Berkswell won by 144 runs, against their top-of-the-league rivals in the third tier of the Birmingham league.

Feeling stiff

Berkswell signed up the 30-year-old bowler, who is nicknamed the Rawalpindi Express, as an overseas player thanks to club captain Dominic Ostler. Ostler played under current Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer for Warwickshire during the 1990s.

Akhtar told BBC News after the match: “I had a good practice. I had fun with the club. I had fun with my team mates.”

Speaking of his batting performance, he said: “It was bit of entertainment for the crowd, all the fast bowlers like to bat.”

He said playing in a match after five months lay-off had left him feeling stiff.

He will talk to Pakistan team managers before a decision is made on whether he plays in the fourth test against England at the Oval.

SOURCE: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/west_midlands/5247984.stm

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Re: Shoaib Akthar played for Berkswell

With Asif also available for the next test it would be a real boost if Shoaib is fit for that one as well. We can actually field a good bowling attac. They can partner Umar Gul who so far has had to do things on his own. England's run feast would surley come to an end if Shoaib & Asif return.

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Re: Shoaib Akthar played for Berkswell

Shoaib’s return sets hearts racing
The Sunday Times

The fastest bowler on earth and Pakistan’s not-so-secret weapon played his first competitive game since injury yesterday — on a village ground. By Lawrence Booth

SHOAIB AKHTAR has taken 165 wickets in 42 Tests. He bowled the first recorded 100mph delivery and during the winter he dismantled England with an irresistible array of fast bouncers and slow yorkers.

Yesterday, in his first competitive match of any description for six months, he turned out for Berkswell against St George’s in Division Three of the Birmingham League. He donned his whites in a pavilion that once housed chickens, hit six sixes in a 23-minute fifty from No 6, then came in off his long run to claim two tail-end scalps after seven wicketless overs and sealed victory in front of a crowd of around 200. It is safe to say the village of Balsall Common has never seen anything like it.

Shoaib has not appeared for Pakistan since the start of February and is keen to speed up his recovery from ankle surgery in time to take on England. “I’m ready to go,” he said afterwards. “But I am a humble servant and it’s up to the team.” The fourth Test at The Oval, which begins on August 17, might be pushing things, although Pakistan could yet pick him if they avoid defeat at Headingley. But the one-day NatWest Series, starting on August 30, is in his sights. And if that means scaring the living daylights out of a bunch of club cricketers — the St John Ambulance lurking behind the boundary had been hired specially — well, that’s life. “He was pretty sharp,” said the St George’s opener Tony Parton, a painter and decorator from Telford who once had trials for Warwickshire and Worcestershire. “You could see the ball. It was just hitting it that was the problem.”

Parton batted through both Shoaib’s first spell of 4-1-4-0, which he estimated at 85mph, and his second of 3-1-6-0, which he placed in the mid-70s. “He hit me on the chest and then the grille, and I told him I’d hook the next one.” The bruises on his right thigh were worn like a badge of honour.

Pakistan’s desire to have Shoaib back felt all the more pressing as England racked up 515 in the third Test. But Shoaib insisted he wouldn’t be taking any risks. “It’s nice to get back to cricket,” he said. “The idea is to have as much match practice as possible. I’ve got to get my rhythm. They’ve accelerated the fitness programme because I want to get out there as soon as possible. Mohammad Asif is nearing recovery and so is Rana Naved. With a full-strength Pakistan attack, the matches against England will be a different ball game.”
He also issued a plea to the game’s administrators to pay more attention to the players’ concerns about burnout. “A lot of fast bowlers are getting injured,” he said. “I think the cricket boards should sit down with players after the World Cup and find out how much cricket they are comfortable with."

SOURCE: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,2094-2300624,00.html

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Re: Shoaib Akthar played for Berkswell

Going by the report I don't think he is close to full match fitness yet.

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Re: Shoaib Akthar played for Berkswell

^ Shoaib and Asif will be playing against Windies A match. I guess it's a 2 day match starting from August 12th. Manangement will decide about their fitness and their selection, after that match.

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Re: Shoaib Akthar played for Berkswell

Footage of Shoaib playing for Berkswell on saturday

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/202754/shoaib_akhtar/

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Re: Shoaib Akthar played for Berkswell

I’m Flying High After Bowling Return

It was only a few overs for a club side but my first bowl in almost eight months was a very enjoyable moment for me on Saturday.

I bowled just short of eight overs and I felt good and was pleased that all the fitness work I have done in the last few months is starting to pay off.

My game for Berkswell in the Birmingham League was only supposed to be a leisurely return to bowling but I can tell you that I did not hold back on those club players at times.

I thought I bowled quite fast in my first four-over spell, even though my two wickets came later. I bowled at full speed for a couple of overs but came down to about half pace later on as I didn’t want to risk a pulled muscle or strain in my first proper bowl in a long time.

I scored a quick fifty before my bowling spell and I enjoyed that equally as much. My batting was improving a lot before my injury and I scored a couple of forties against India this year so hopefully this little cameo is a good sign that I can build on my aspirations to become a useful number eight, at least, though I know facing Steve Harmison will be slightly different!

I was impressed with the courage and technique of the club players. They weren’t jumping out of the way and they gave me a contest. It was a useful day for me and I hope everyone who came along to watch also had a good time. There was a crowd of about 200, I signed plenty of autographs for the kids and posed for a few photos so it was a good day all round.

There is probably going to be a midweek game arranged for me but the details are not final yet and I believe the West Indies A fixture at Shenley could now be two 50-over games, which would suit me. I’m keen to get plenty of overs in my legs.

I’m not making any predictions on my comeback date and all I can do is keep up my training and improving every new game I bowl.

I was on such a high the morning after bowling my first spell in months that I treated myself to a flying session in Nottingham. I went up in a small plane – with a professional pilot of course – but I took control of the plane once we were up there. I always get a buzz out of these kind of things.

But nothing will give me more of a buzz than getting back into the Pakistan team and taking wickets again. Hopefully, that moment is not too far away.

SOURCE: http://akhtar.bigstarcricket.com/bs/players/akhtar/article_771.shtml

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Re: Shoaib Akthar played for Berkswell

If theres a result tomorrow then give him a rest and bring him in for the one dayers...if Pak lose tomorrow then why risk him and if we win then confidence is high for the final test...Asif is a good enough change...
Dont rush him back...last thing we want is what happened to Flintoff...