Mahmood gets another chance with England

as posted here


11:00am Tuesday 30th September 2008
By Graham Hardcastle »


Former Bolton League ace Sajid Mahmood has been given another England lifeline with a call-up to the Performance Programme squad to tour India in November.

The 26-year-old Lancashire pace bowler, who has played eight Tests and 25 one-day internationals for his country, has been out of the international reckoning since April, 2007.

He played for the England Lions in a one-day friendly against South Africa earlier this summer, and was also named in the provisional 30-man squad for the cancelled ICC Champions Trophy in Pakistan.

Mahmood has had an impressive summer for Lancashire, claiming 35 County Championship wickets at an average of 32.77 from 12 matches. But he has been out since August 23 with a left intercostal strain.

However, he will be fit in time to join up with the likes of Joe Denly, Robert Key, Tim Bresnan and Adil Rashid on November 21 when the 15-man squad travels to Bangalore.

The squad will play two matches, a three-day fixture in Bangalore and a four-dayer in Mumbai, while they will also train with the Test squad.

Mahmood leads a whole host of Lancashire players that are spending their winter playing in foreign climes.

Lancashire opener Paul Horton will not be changing his plans to go to Perth for five months, where he will captain grade side Gosnells, after being omitted from the Performance Programme squad.

Steven Croft is on the verge of signing a winter contract to play New Zealand state cricket with Auckland, while the likes of Mark Chilton, Steven Mullaney, Stephen Cheetham and Steven Parry will all play grade cricket Down Under.

Lancashire cricket manager Mike Watkinson said: “We keep tabs on where they are going to make sure they have got the right coaching and strength and conditioning resources. They will hopefully come back improved cricketers.

“Many of them need to grow as individuals. It is also a big part of life development being away from home for six months, standing on their own two feet.

“It is an extra pressure for them to have to perform in a tough environment in Australia or wherever they go.”


as posted here