Ajmal Shahzad

Infobox cricketer biography
playername = Ajmal Shahzad


country = England
fullname = Ajmal Shahzad
nickname =
living = true
dayofbirth = 27
monthofbirth = 07
yearofbirth = 1985
placeofbirth = Huddersfield
countryofbirth = England
heightft = 6
heightinch = 0
heightm =
batting = Right-hand
bowling = Right-arm medium-fast
role = Bowler
club1 = Yorkshire
year1 = 2004–present
clubnumber1 = 4
club2 =
year2 =
clubnumber2 =
type1 = First-class
debutdate1 = 30 October
debutyear1 = 2006
debutfor1 = Yorkshire
debutagainst1 = Middlesex
lastdate1 = 9 August
lastyear1 = 2007
lastfor1 = Yorkshire
lastagainst1 = Lancashire
type2 = List A
debutdate2 = 23 May
debutyear2 = 2004
debutfor2 = Yorkshire
debutagainst2 = Worcestershire
lastdate2 = 31 July
lastyear2 = 2007
lastfor2 = Yorkshire
lastagainst2 = Sri Lanka A
deliveries = balls
columns = 3
column1 = FC
matches1 = 7
runs1 = 67
bat avg1 = 13.40
100s/50s1 = 0/0
top score1 = 32*
deliveries1 = 628
wickets1 = 9
bowl avg1 = 43.11
fivefor1 = 0
tenfor1 = 0
best bowling1 = 4/22
catches/stumpings1 = 0/–
column2 = LA
matches2 = 7
runs2 = 27
bat avg2 = 6.75
100s/50s2 = 0/0
top score2 = 11*
deliveries2 = 312
wickets2 = 11
bowl avg2 = 25.36
fivefor2 = 1
tenfor2 = n/a
best bowling2 = 5/51
catches/stumpings2 = 0/–
column3 = T20
matches3 = 1
runs3 = 2
bat avg3 = –
100s/50s3 = 0/0
top score3 = 2*
deliveries3 = 18
wickets3 = 2
bowl avg3 = 11.00
fivefor3 = 0
tenfor3 = n/a
best bowling3 = 2/22
catches/stumpings3 = 0/–
date = 22 November
year = 2007
source = http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/64/64081/64081.html cricketarchive.com
NB Extra fields available from

Ajmal Shahzad (born 27 July 1985 in Huddersfield, Yorkshire, England) is a cricketer who plays for Yorkshire County Cricket Club. He is notable as being the first Yorkshire-born player of Asian extraction to play for the county. [http://archive.thisisyork.co.uk/2005/9/3/332692.html Shahzam, it's Ajmal, "ThisisYork.co.uk" cited 3 September 2007] [http://ecomallbiz.com/easy1/listings/view.nhtml?profile=listings&UID=565 Ajmal Shahzad plays for Yorkshire "World Cricket Centre" cited 17 August 2007]

He is a right-handed batsman and right-arm fast-medium bowler. He failed to take a wicket, and scored just two runs, in his only first class appearance in 2006 but took 5 wickets and scored a total of 18 runs in 4 one day matches for his native county. He took 2 wickets in his sole appearance in the Twenty20 competition.

History was made at Headingley when 18-year-old Ajmal Shahzad became the first Yorkshire-born player from an ethnic background to play for the county. He was attending Woodhouse Grove School at the time.

Ajmal has been at Yorkshire since 2004, his first 2 years spent in the Academy and has become a firm fixture in the second XI. He didn't know he was making his first-team debut until the morning of the game when skipper Craig White told him. White said: "He has massive potential and hopefully he will take it." On the Saturday Ajmal had played for the Yorkshire Academy against Sheffield Collegiate in the Yorkshire League, taking 5/20 in 11 overs.

After his debut Ajmal said: "I was chuffed to bits, I've been working hard and I have just got to keep performing." Ajmal hopes that he will be the first of many players from an ethnic background to play for the Tykes. "There are plenty waiting and I just happen to be the first. I reckon there will be more Asians who will say 'if he can make it why can't we'."

Ajmal comes from a cricketing background. His dad used to play in the Bradford League but Ajmal does not know if his dad saw his big day. "I couldn't let him know because we are not allowed to have telephone on in the dressing room but if he missed it he would be gutted

The youngster was even given the opportunity to share the new ball with Tim Bresnan but his first ball went for a wide. "After my first over I settled down and just bowled line and length."

How did he feel when he walked out on to the famous Headingley pitch?, "The rest of the players told me just to enjoy it but I tried not to look up but the crowd were behind me. Once the ball beats the inner field it goes for four". Last winter Ajmal played for England U-19's in Denmark and Holland and scored a century on his debut.

References

External links

* [http://content-aus.cricinfo.com/ci/content/player/21431.html Cricinfo profile]
* [http://www.cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/64/64081/64081.html Cricketarchive statistics]