Thursday, August 16, 2007

Inzamam to play for Yorkshire, Farhat refuses contract

According to Reuters, Inzamam-ul-Haq is to make his English county championship debut for Yorkshire later this month, called up as a replacement for compatriot Younis Khan, who will be on international duty.

"I was offered a short term contract by Yorkshire and I have accepted it because I have never experienced playing for a county," the batsman told Reuters on Thursday.

Inzamam said he would be flying out to England next week to replace Younis, who is returning home to join up with the Twenty20 World Cup squad.

"I see my stint with Yorkshire as a good opportunity to get ready for a hectic international season for Pakistan," Inzamam added.

The 37-year-old stepped down as captain and retired from one-day internationals in March after his team was eliminated in the first round of the World Cup in the West Indies.

However, the player said he was keen to continue playing test cricket for his country and was also considering an offer from the lucrative Indian Cricket League (ICL).

He is expected to feature in three four-day matches and as many one-day matches while in England.

Inzamam has played 119 Tests and 378 one-day internationals.

The ICL, a private Twenty20 tournament starting in October, has been trying to recruit a number of leading players in South Asia and Pakistan opener Imran Farhat is the latest international linked with the competition.

On Thursday, Farhat asked the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to terminate his central contract and confirmed he was seriously considering an offer from ICL organisers.

The 25-year-old, who has played in 27 tests and 33 one-dayers, said he had taken the decision because he felt insecure about his cricket future.

"Look at what has been happening to me in the last five or six years. Merit has taken a back seat. I am a professional cricketer and I have to think about my future," he told Reuters.

The left-handed batsman was not selected for the Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa, despite performing well at the training camp and in practice matches with the Pakistan team earlier this month.

He becomes the first Pakistani player to turn down one of the 20 central contracts awarded to senior players last month, although Mohammad Yousuf, Abdul Razzaq and Younis are yet to sign them.

Farhat said there was no security in the central contracts.

"It is a one-way document and the board controls everything. What is the use of this central contract if I don't have a chance to play for my country on merit itself?"

No comments: