England news

Shahzad seeks consistency to forge England career

Andrew Miller

April 20, 2011

Ajmal Shahzad

Ajmal Shahzad accepts that this season's battle for England fast-bowling places will be as tough as it has been for years, but believes he showed enough glimpses of his talent and tenacity during a long winter odyssey to keep himself firmly in the selector's thoughts ahead of the Sri Lanka series in May.

Shahzad was a key squad member throughout England's Ashes and World Cup campaigns. Although he did not play in the Tests in Australia, he pressed hard for selection throughout, and subsequently featured in seven of England's 14 ODIs, before a hamstring injury led to his omission for the team's crucial World Cup victory over West Indies. Surrey's Jade Dernbach replaced him in the 15-man party as the team went on to be beaten by ten wickets in the quarter-finals by Sri Lanka.

At the moment of victory in Chennai, after England had grafted their way back into the contest to beat West Indies by 18 runs and secure their progression to the last eight, Shahzad's face was a picture of mixed emotions, as he rose in the dressing room to celebrate with his team-mates, all the while knowing that he was heading for the next plane home.

"I was absolutely gutted," he told ESPNcricinfo during adidas's launch of the new England ODI kit. "I was so happy to be picked for England, so the disappointing thing for me was when I did get my chance, I got a little niggle. And I don't know if it was the pressure of the situation or the nervous anxiety, or whatever, but it's really disappointing, because that is the time I wanted to impress and show what I can do. I hope I've shown a little of what I'm capable of doing, but I feel as if there's plenty more to show, and if I ever get given the chance again, I want to stay injury free, fingers crossed."

He is on the mend now, with a return to action anticipated for Yorkshire's CB40 match against the Netherlands on Sunday, but Shahzad's the first to admit he has some ground to make up. The trio of quick bowlers who finished the Ashes campaign - James Anderson, Chris Tremlett and Tim Bresnan - are set to be joined in the selection mix by Stuart Broad and Steven Finn, who has started the season impressively with Middlesex, while the likes of Warwickshire's Chris Woakes and the fit-again Graham Onions have also made strong cases in the early weeks of the season.

"It's going to be very difficult," he conceded. "There are plenty bowlers vying for spots - not only guys in the set-up, but people in the county circuit who want to put their name in the hat. Then it's up to the selectors to pick me or not pick me. But the selectors know what I can do. I want to go back [to Yorkshire] and help the boys out, show that I've got all the skill levels, show a good level of consistency, and show I'm a very competent batsman as well. If I get a few runs as well, you never know."

England news

Test cricket is the 'pinnacle' - Bopara

ESPNcricinfo staff

April 10, 2011

England batsman Ravi Bopara has insisted that Test cricket is "the pinnacle" after putting his county ahead of a lucrative IPL contract in order to strengthen his claims for an England Test spot. Bopara, who made a low-key start to the County Championship for Essex against Kent at Chelmsford, was one of a host of players left unsold during the IPL auction in January.

Ravi Bopara

Rajasthan Royals, on the lookout for a replacement for Paul Collingwood, whose knee surgery ruled him out of the Twenty20 tournament, subsequently contacted Bopara with a £100,000 offer but he turned them down in order to focus on his return to the Test side.

"It was a tough decision [to turn down IPL offer], but my ambition as a youngster has always been to play Test cricket and to play for my country," Bopara toldecb.co.uk. "Not everything's about money. I've got to make sure I fulfil my ambitions and my talent as a cricketer. Although Twenty20 is a very important part of the game, Test cricket is always going to be the pinnacle."

Bopara, whose last Test was against Australia at Headingley in 2009, consulted Ronnie Irani and Graham Gooch prior to making his decision. "It's important for me to get back into that Test side," he said. "I recognise this is a great opportunity with a spot available, so I spoke to Graham Gooch and Ronnie Irani and they thought the best decision was for me to stay and perform for Essex and push for selection."

"Nothing's going to get me in that side apart from numbers. Wickets, runs, anything I can contribute to Essex will make a difference in me being selected. Every season is a big season, but this is my opportunity to get back into that team. There are spots available now, and somebody's got to take it."

The first Test of the English summer is on May 26, against Sri Lanka, and there is a vacancy to be filled in the middle order following Collingwood's retirement. Eoin Morgan is generally regarded as the favourite for the position having been the spare batsman in Australia, but he will spend the next five weeks at the IPL so a strong start from Bopara in the Championship will keep the selectors interested.

Bopara also comes with the advantage of being able to offer some useful overs which would replace the part-time medium pace of Collingwood and supplement a likely four-man attack from England.

Gooch, batting coach for England and Essex, agreed that Bopara could only force a return through good returns in the Championship. "I think he has made the right decision," he said. "He is very motivated to achieve and if he wants to make his mark on the Test side he will only do that with championship runs. He can't further his cause in the IPL, however many runs he gets."

© ESPN EMEA Ltd