Shoaib signs for Durham

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Shoaib on his way to Durham

Duncan Steer
Sunday June 22, 2003
The Observer

Shoaib Akhrtar, the Pakistan fast bowler, has signed with Durham for the rest of the season. Shoaib, who became the first bowler to be measured at 100mph at the World Cup in February, replaces Dewald Pretorius, who has been called into the South Africa squad whose tour of England begins this week.

‘We’d spoken to a couple of other players, but when our coach, Martyn Moxon, learned that Shoaib was available last week, he told me that he was his first choice,’ said David Harker, the Durham chief executive, who negotiated the deal.

He added that, subject to Shoaib receiving permission from the Pakistan Cricket Board and a work permit, he expected the player to make his debut in 10 days’ time in Durham’s county championship game at Worcester. Harker described the prospect of Shoaib and Stephen Harmison, England’s fastest bowler, opening the bowling for the county as ‘mouthwatering’, but warned that Harmison’s England commitments would mean that fans may have to wait to see the pair in tandem.

Shoaib was close to a deal with Hampshire at the start of the season, but the county opted for Wasim Akram instead. In 2000, he was due to play for Nottinghamshire, but missed the season through injury.

‘I want to get experience, learn a lot and become a better bowler - and help the club get promoted to Division One,’ said Shoaib, who signed the deal at his London hotel on the eve of today’s NatWest Challenge decider at Lord’s.

‘I played at Durham for Lashings last year. It’s a quick wicket, a nice ground, easy-going people. I’ve always liked it there. The first time I played there was in the 1999 World Cup against Scotland. I just want to get up there and prove myself.’

The PCB is known to be keen for its players to join English counties to complete their cricketing education. Mohammad Sami joins Kent this week and, of the current touring party, Yousuf Youhana, Shoaib Malik and Younis Khan have all recently expressed interest in playing county cricket.

Asked how the daily routine of county cricket would suit a player who has had his injury problems over the years, Shoaib said: 'I’m fit and strong enough to last the whole season. It’s going to be tiring, but I’m sure they’ll use me sensibly. They know I’m a strike bowler and I can win matches for them.

‘There’s no point me bowling 20 overs a day if I can get the job done in 12 overs. It’s going to be good fun, I’m very excited.’

Shoaib’s most recent appearance - on Friday - saw him go for 69 runs off nine overs as Pakistan were thrashed by England at The Oval. He said, though, that the team still believed they could come back to win today’s decider.

'Our chins are up. We bowled pretty badly on Friday, but then we weren’t defending enough runs. [Marcus] Trescothick wouldn’t have been playing the way he did if we’d got 230 or 240 on the board. He played really well, it was like he was on a PlayStation or something.

‘I couldn’t work the wicket out. I pitched it a little bit short and it was flying over the keeper’s head. I was struggling out there. But I went to the nets today at Lord’s and bowled nine or 10 overs and it’s coming good again. So hopefully I’ll have a great contest with Mr Trescothick tomorrow.’

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i will pray he becomes a better bowler :p

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he is 28 already he has next 3 years to improve his bowling and attitude otherwise PCB wil not give him anymore chances.........
I think Umer Gul probably has a better chance then Shoaib Akhtar, Shoaib has to 1st change his attitude.....

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i think a lot of the pakistani cricketers need to change their attitude...
the team really needs to get their heads together and play with unity... thats whats been lacking from them for the past decade..

good luck to Shabz..

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I personally like the idea of fast bowlers playing county cricket. Hopefully, Shoaib and Sami will be better and reliable bowlers.

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i hope Sami shines thru.. he's one of the bowlers i feel has a lotta potential.. Inshallah he has a long career...

i remember when he first came down here.. the australians couldnt handle his bowling.. hehehe

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Just as we thought Shoaib was finally getting better fittness wise, and here he goes throws his who precious career away for some money.

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[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by UMAIR316: *
Just as we thought Shoaib was finally getting better fittness wise, and here he goes throws his who precious career away for some money.
[/QUOTE]

Exactly. The guy can barley play all the matches for Pakistan because of injury and now he is going to play non stop cricket. The best thing Shoaib can do is not put too much effort into bowling fast and concentrate on his line and length. He will have two advantages that way. First he wont get burnt out by putting too much effort, second he will improve his line and length and will probably end up having more control.

Still I think someone as injury prone as Shoaib should not play county and try and stay fit for Pakistan's matches.

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Im really glad he has signed for Durham. Its a great opportunity to watch the GREAT man in action here in the North East. Was watching him at Oval .. his accuracy was a bit hayward but he is an awesome character to watch bowl.

I wish him all the best !!!

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[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by earthquake: *
he is 28 already he has next 3 years to improve his bowling and attitude.....
[/QUOTE]

he is 28 right now i dont think he is going to be around when he is 32. . cricket is not the same as it used to be, specially the amount of international cricket being played, with the fitness record of shoaib akhter, and Above all the effort he putts in while he is bowling , putts so much starain at his body, i seriousely doubt that he going to be playing cricket at 32

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**Shoaib: ‘I need to prove myself’ **
Wisden CricInfo staff - June 22, 2003

Shoaib Akhtar has signed to play for Durham for the remainder of the season, and is due to meet with club officials tomorrow to decide when he will join the county.

“I need to prove myself to myself, the counties and everyone around England,” said Shoaib. "I am very strong at the moment, still bowling at 98 miles per hour and I can serve Durham well. I do not need a break. I want to get straight into it. There are 10 championship matches left and I will be doing everything I can to get them there.

“I’ve talked to Javed Miandad and he told me I was better off playing championship cricket than anything else. I just want to bowl a lot and learn a lot by playing county cricket.”

Shoaib replaces the fast bowler, Dewald Pretorius, who was a surprise call-up for South Africa’s tour of England. Shoaib, who has taken 88 wickets at 27.18 in 25 Tests, and 142 at 21.2 in 86 one-day internationals, is the only player to have officially broken the 100mph barrier for bowling.

“This is excellent news for Durham,” said Bill Midgley, Durham’s chairman. “Losing Dewald was a big miss for us but signing the first bowler to bowl at 100mph is fantastic - let’s see if he can do it at the Riverside and get everyone off their seats!”

Durham’s captain Jon Lewis was equally excited by the news. “I’m delighted Shoaib is joining us,” he said. “He’s a very exciting prospect. He was very keen to come here and that is great for Durham. He’s capable of producing devastating spells of fast bowling and I’m really looking forward to playing alongside him.”

With Shoaib at one end, and England’s fastest bowler Steve Harmison at the other, Durham can look forward to an explosive remainder of the summer.

© Wisden CricInfo Ltd

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**Shoaib seeks permission to skip BD series **

KARACHI: Fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has sought permission from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to skip the home series against Bangladesh in August-September.

‘The News’ has learnt that Shoaib has conveyed to the board through team manager Haroon Rasheed that he would not like to play the home series against Bangladesh which commences from August 18.

“The Board has so far not responded to his request but the Pakistan team management including the coach and captain have no problems with Shoaib not playing against Bangladesh,” a source said.

“Javed (Miandad) and Rashid (Latif) are keen to use the home series of three Tests and three One-dayers against Bangladesh to try out some new players and give more chances to the existing ones,” the source added.

“They also believe that Shoaib would be better off completing his contract with English County Durham and than returning home before the home series against South Africa beginning in September,” he added. However, the final decision is yet to be taken.

The board has, however, permitted the two new-ball bowlers Shoaib and Muhammad Sami to play for Durham and Kent until mid August after the postponement of the triangular one-day series in Tangiers, Morocco.

The Board has also allowed other players to return home from England after taking time off from cricket by remaining in England.

Only three Pakistan players Younis Khan, Shoaib Malik and Umar Gul are expected to return home on Thursday morning after the 17-day tour.

While Shabbir Ahmed and Yousuf Youhana will return on July 4.

Pakistan manager Haroon Rasheed when contacted by this correspondent said that the boys wanted vacations after a tough schedule and they have been granted permission.

“But they have been released on the condition that they will make themselves available in Pakistan for the training camp that will be organised to prepare the team for the forthcoming domestic international season,” he said. The date and the venue of the training camp will be finalized later.

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Good for Shoiab let him go to England, play regulerly and work on some consistancy. He admits he has some flaws, right on, I see some attitudes changing right there.

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I think the board should let Shoaib skip the Bangali test and one day series, its perfect chance for us to try out new bowlers.
As long as he doesn't over use his body, other than that, he should have no problems.