Shahzad injury blow for Lancashire

By Graham Hardcastle

Ajmal Shahzad has been ruled out of Lancashire’s next two Friends Life t20 matches after a scan revealed an intercostal injury. The fast bowler, who missed his county’s first two matches against Derbyshire and Leicestershire last week, will not face Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire at Old Trafford this week.

The first of those two matches is against the Foxes tomorrow (June 20. Sajid Mahmood has also been left out of a 14-man squad after his recent poor form. However, Glen Chapple is expected to be fit to skipper the side after aggravating a shoulder niggle during an impressive two-wicket burst in the win at Grace Road last Friday.

Shahzad will be re-assessed ahead of Monday’s televised clash with Durham at Old Trafford, although he is unlikely to play when you take into account that the Lightning’s next match is against parent county Yorkshire a week on Friday, which he cannot play in anyway under the rules of his loan agreement.

Such a move would also fall in line with coach Peter Moores’ policy not to take any risks with regards to the fitness of his bowlers. “As we've said all along with all our bowlers, we'll try to manage them through and put out the most competitive side we can," said the former Sussex and England coach.

"We desperately want to qualify for the t20 quarter-finals because it's a big tournament. We're also conscious that what happened to Ajmal is always an indicator. He picked up his injury on the back of a heavy bowling spell the day before."

Lancashire have named all three left-arm spinners - Gary Keedy, Stephen Parry and Simon Kerrigan - in their squad for the first time in this year’s t20 competition. Keedy and Parry have played in the first two games, but Kerrigan has been left out. The Red Rose county believe that a three-spinner policy is more effective at Old Trafford, where they can push the ropes out.


Date: 19/06/2012 16:17:14 by Graham Hardcastle
In: Today | Lancashire |