Luis Reece led his side’s commanding first-day performance with a polished 85, his best score in the Championship in only his fifth appearance

Graham Hardcastle at Grace Road02-Aug-2013
ScorecardLuis Reece made his first significant score as a Lancashire opener•Getty Images

Luis Reece enjoys batting at Grace Road. The Lancashire opener led his side’s commanding first-day performance with a polished 85, his best score in the Championship in only his fifth appearance. It came just over three months after posting a first-class best of 114 not out here in Leeds/Bradford MCCU colours.In the same match, the 22-year-old Reece captained the students to a notable win over Leicestershire in an early season friendly, and he will be hoping that this contribution helps bring about a similar result for the Division Two leaders, who are searching for their fourth win in five.He will, however, be frustrated that he could not add a bit of symmetry to the early stages of his career – maiden first-class and Championship hundreds on the same ground. The latter will have to wait.Reece, who hit 12 fours in 160 balls, is a first-year professional with Lancashire. Discarded after being with their academy in 2008, he impressed enough for his university side and for the Unicorns to force the coach, Peter Moores, to have another look at him. He was offered scholarship terms as a result for 2012 and a full contract for this summer.He was part of Lancashire’s first century opening stand this season with Paul Horton, back in first-team colours for the first time since May 19 after dislocating the ring finger on his right hand twice. They are the county’s sixth different opening partnership in the Championship in 2013.Horton survived an lbw appeal from Matthew Hoggard with the first ball of the contest as well a run-out chance from square leg as he wandered some way out of his ground.After Leicestershire were invited to field first, Hoggard and new ball partner Alex Wyatt found some early assistance off the pitch to test Horton and Reece, who survived and prospered to reach three figures before lunch.Horton will count himself unlucky to have fallen for 59 five balls into the afternoon as Ollie Freckingham took a stunning one-handed catch at midwicket to help Wyatt make the breakthrough with the score on 104.Cracking his opening partnership has been Moores’ toughest task this summer. A stable middle-order is underpinned by Simon Katich, who made 62, and Ashwell Prince and he can also count on a potent bowling attack led by captain, Glen Chapple, and left-arm spinner Simon Kerrigan. But it just hasn’t worked out at the top of the order for one reason or another.Injuries have contributed, Horton being the case in point. But so has the lack of a substantial innings here and there. Stephen Moore, Luke Procter, Andrea Agathangelou and Karl Brown have all been tried against the new ball without nailing down their place.The current pair at least know they will get a decent run at it after this performance, which was full of intent against a home attack lacking depth. Hoggard and Wyatt threatened initially before keeping things tight, but the likes of Freckingham, Shiv Thakor and Tom Wells leaked runs.Leicester certainly improved in the afternoon and evening, taking all five wickets, and Lancashire’s position in the game could have been better. But this was Reece’s and Lancashire’s day.

India will tour New Zealand for a month in mid-January for five ODIs and two Tests, with the first one-dayer to be played on January 19 and the second Test ending on February 18

ESPNcricinfo staff02-Sep-2013

India in New Zealand 2014

1st ODI – January 19
2nd ODI – January 22
3rd ODI – January 25
4th ODI – January 28
5th ODI – January 31
Warm-up match – February 2-3
1st Test – February 6-10
2nd Test – February 14-18

India will tour New Zealand for a month in mid-January for five ODIs and two Tests, with the first one-dayer to be played on January 19 and the second Test ending on February 18. New Zealand Cricket’s release came a day after the BCCI’s working committee approved the tour. The announcement increased the uncertainty surrounding India’s South Africa tour in November, the itinerary of which is yet to be finalised.The New Zealand tour was scheduled to begin in early February, according to the ICC Future Tours Programme, but will now start around two to three weeks earlier, eating into the time allotted for the South Africa tour. In fact, according to the itinerary announced by Cricket South Africa in July, and objected to by the BCCI, the third and final Test in Johannesburg was to end on January 19, the day on which India will now be thousands of miles away commencing their New Zealand sojourn.The make-up of the South Africa trip had already been put in doubt after it was left out of a list of upcoming series announced by the BCCI a day ago, which included a freshly-planned home Test series against West Indies in November.West Indies will then will travel to New Zealand after playing in the subcontinent, for a series that starts on December 3 and ends on January 15, four days before the home team’s first game against India.David White, New Zealand Cricket’s chief executive, said he was unaware about the itinerary of India’s tour of South Africa but added that NZC had finalised the dates only after discussions with the BCCI. White did not want to speculate on why the BCCI’s release on Sunday had not included the dates but confirmed both boards had worked together on the final itinerary. “Those dates have been signed off with the BCCI. We had been in discussions just before the (BCCI) working committee meeting and worked through the dates and that was ratified at the meeting,” White told ESPNcricinfo.He was understandably pleased about the prospects of a tour that is likely to be a money-spinner for his board. “It’s brilliant that the Black Caps will be playing five ODIs against the world’s top one-day side given the proximity of the World Cup in 2015,” White said. While the boards have stuck to the five ODIs as laid out in the FTP, the originally scheduled three Tests have been cut down to two, while the Twenty20 international has been done away with. The venues will be confirmed in a week or so, NZC said.India last toured New Zealand from February to April 2009 for a longer trip consisting of two T20s followed by five ODIs and ending with three Tests. While New Zealand won both T20s, India took the ODIs 3-1 and the Tests 1-0.

Bangladesh women crumbled under pressure with two run-outs and gave two more wickets to Marizanne Kapp in the last three overs to concede the third T20 from a comfortable position as South Africa whitewashed the series 3-0

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Sep-2013
ScorecardFile photo – Salma Khatun’s spell of 2 for 7 went in vain•ICC/ Mainoor Islam Manik

Bangladesh women crumbled under pressure with two run-outs and gave two more wickets to Marizanne Kapp in the last three overs to concede the third T20 from a comfortable position as South Africa whitewashed the series 3-0.Chasing 110, Bangladesh were cruising at 79 for no loss at the end of 14 overs after a solid start, from Rumana Ahmed and Ayasha Rahman, and needed another 31 at less than run-a-ball. But run-outs of Ahmed and No. 3 Lata Mondal triggered a top-order collapse and made them succumb under pressure. They needed 18 from 18 and Kapp conceded only two runs in the 18th over and got Salma Khatun stumped for 1 on the last ball of the over. Shabnim Ismail added to the pressure from the other end by giving four runs, leaving the visitors requiring 12 from the last over.Kapp came back and was hit for four on the first ball by Fargana Hoque. After a single and a dot ball, she got rid of the other opener, Rahman, for 42 and out of the remaining seven required, Bangladesh only managed three from the last two balls.Earlier, South Africa chose to bat but lost both openers for low scores – Trisha Chetty for a duck and Lizelle Lee for 11. Captain Mignon du Preez steered them to safety with her third T20 fifty. Kapp accompanied her with a 55-run stand before du Preez fell for 52. Alexis le Breton’s two fours and Kapp’s unbeaten 24 took them to 109. Khatun particularly troubled the South Africa batsmen at the beginning and end both as she took wickets in her first and last overs and conceded only seven runs in four overs.South Africa coach, Hilton Moreeng, was very pleased with the team’s performance. “If we knew that the result would be 3-0 at the start of the series we would have taken it,” he said. “We are building as a team and it was important for us to start this home series well, especially by playing good cricket and learning from every game that we play.”Even though Bangladesh kept the pressure on South Africa while bowling, they couldn’t handle it while batting in the end.”I must give credit to Bangladesh,” Moreeng said. “They put us under pressure very early; the first two overs were maidens and we were a wicket down. The partnership between Kapp and the captain put us back where we wanted to be and we had to settle for 109, which required us to go out there and bowl well.”The two sides will now play three ODIs starting September 20 in Benoni.

Derbyshire’s pace attack delivered a late twist to another enthralling day to give the home side a slender advantage in their Division Two match against Lancashire

Press Association20-Apr-2015
ScorecardWes Durston got Derbyshire back into the match•Getty Images

Derbyshire’s pace attack delivered a late twist to another enthralling day to give the home side a slender advantage in their Division Two match against Lancashire. Mark Footitt and Tom Taylor dismissed openers Paul Horton and Luis Reece along with nightwatchman Peter Siddle as the visitors closed on 36 for 3, a lead of only 55 with two days remaining.A fourth-wicket stand of 148 between Billy Godleman and Wes Durston helped Derbyshire recover from an impressive opening spell from Siddle to reach 274, with England spinner Simon Kerrigan taking 3 for 21 from 18.5 oversThe late drama reflected the start of the day, with Lancashire’s hopes of a third batting point vanishing when their last two wickets fell for one run – Taylor bowling Kerrigan and having Tom Bailey caught at third slip without scoring.Siddle delivered a quality nine over spell from the Racecourse end to remove Martin Guptill and Wayne Madsen as the home side slipped to 26 for 3. Bailey trapped Ben Slater lbw half forward before Siddle discovered his line to have Guptill taken head high at second slip by Tom Smith and find Madsen’s outside edge.Siddle was unlucky not to claim more wickets as he repeatedly beat Durston and Godleman but they hung on and took advantage when the Australian was rested. They grew in authority as the second day mirrored the first, with the batsmen prospering in the post-lunch sunshine as the ball lost its hardness.Durston pulled Kyle Jarvis for his sixth four to reach 50 off 61 balls and Godleman brought up the 100 stand when he drove Smith to the cover boundary. The opener steered Smith to third man for his eighth four to bring up his 50 and Lancashire had become desperate for a breakthrough when Durston tried to hit Kerrigan over the top and became the spinner’s 200th Championship victim.Shiv Thakor became the third Derbyshire batsman to fall without scoring when he edged Bailey to first slip and Godleman was caught behind cutting at Jarvis. The rest of the innings fell to spin but Alex Hughes, who hooked Jarvis for six, and Harvey Hosein both played well to deny Lancashire a bigger lead before Taylor and Footitt struck.Horton was yorked, Reece edged behind and Siddle was taken low at first slip to leave Durston looking forward to the morning. “I would say it’s very even but getting those three wickets means we can go into day three still par and I think the first session will be very important to setting up the rest of this game,” he said.”Early in the morning the ball does a little bit and hopefully we can use that to our advantage and nip out a couple more so the first two hours will be very important.”Kerrigan admitted he was unaware he had reached a personal milestone: “I hadn’t a clue but it’s a really pleasing thing for me to achieve and hopefully there are plenty more landmarks to come for me. Hopefully we can bat well tomorrow and look to try and get what we did in the first innings.”

With a nonchalant flick to midwicket that could not help but evoke the Pietersen flamingo, Jason Roy secured Surrey a three-wicket win

Tim Wigmore at Beckenham27-May-2015
ScorecardJason Roy flicks to leg in a manner reminiscent of Kevin Pietersen during his match-winning 60 not out•Getty Images

Twenty20 cricket has allowed Jason Roy to short-circuit the traditional route to international cricket. Anointed Kevin Pietersen’s heir, most vocally by Pietersen himself, Roy’s belligerent hitting has become a definitive feature of the Friday night T20 thrills at The Oval.Five years ago, Roy announced himself with a startling T20 century at Beckenham. On his return to the ground, he proved once again that he demands a bigger stage for his talent than T20 alone. With a nonchalant flick to midwicket that could not help but evoke the Pietersen flamingo, Roy secured Surrey a three-wicket win.

Pietersen set for Surrey return

Kevin Pietersen has declared on Twitter that he will return to play in Surrey’s next Championship match, starting on Sunday. After Surrey wrapped up victory over Kent, Pietersen responded to a question from another Twitter user, saying: “I’m playing on Sunday v Lancs at the Oval…”
Surrey have not officially confirmed his availability but Alec Stewart, the director of cricket, had previously expressed the hope that Pietersen would play in Championship games against Lancashire and Leicestershire before flying out to the Caribbean Premier League.
Pietersen has not played since making 355 not out against Leicestershire at The Oval, which coincided with England’s new director of cricket, Andrew Strauss, telling him he would not be considered for selection. He subsequently pulled out of a spell in the IPL with calf and Achilles injuries.

It was the latest in the growing body of evidence to suggest that Roy, still only 24, has quietly developed into a formidable first-class cricketer. It is only two years since his first-class season comprised 49 runs at 8.16 apiece, and copious frustration in second-team cricket. His record since – 1449 runs at 51.75 – shows a man finding first-class fulfillment.The transformation has been driven not by diverging from his T20 ebullience, but staying truer to it. So when Gary Wilson was the seventh Surrey batsman dismissed with 19 runs still needed, Roy’s response was to reverse sweep his next delivery. The next was bludgeoned through the covers for four to bring up a 41-ball half-century.How Surrey needed it. Remarkably, no other Surrey batsman reached 50 in the match. While the wicket was on the slow side, there was nothing devilish about the pitch at Beckenham, enjoying its first Championship game for six years. Gareth Batty put it best when he said that both sides had been guilty of “less than strong” dismissals. Wilson and Steven Davies both fell to loose drives on the final day, though Davies had fused his usual panache with grit in a critical 54-run partnership with Roy for the sixth wicket.Kent could certainly reflect on some shoddy dismissals of their own but their final-day bowling performance, even in sumptuous weather that provided the best batting conditions of the match, was brimming with tenacity and verve. They seemed to benefit from the combination of Rob Key’s nous and Sam Northeast’s vitality. While Key remains the club captain, he has relinquished matchday duties to Northeast in the last month. The two fielded at mid-off and mid-on, plotting after nearly every ball. And they almost had an unlikely heist to celebrate.As is par for the course against Surrey, Darren Stevens began the day immaculately with his wicket-to-wicket seam bowling. A pair of early scalps – Rory Burns, whose backfoot defensive could only roll on to the stumps; and nightwatchman Matt Dunn, who skied tamely to mid-on – took his career tally against them to 35 wickets. No other county has been more generous to him.Matt Coles, faster, more muscular and more aggressive, has very different qualities. The delivery to dismiss Kumar Sangakkara, lbw to a yorker and seeming a little beaten by extra pace, highlighted his talent. When Ivan Thomas claimed Dominic Sibley, flashing to slip, Surrey were 108 for 5 and fearing a repeat of their final-day capitulation against Kent last year.With the pitch displaying signs of low turn, and Zafar Ansari and Batty sharing seven wickets the previous day, Kent turned expectantly to Adam Riley, who had been touted for an England call-up last year. But he bowled too short, too often, offering neither great wicket-taking threat nor control.So it fell to Coles to try and engineer a victory. A ferocious late burst accounted for Wilson, and Roy survived a fierce lbw shout with ten runs still needed. But a couple of balls later Roy flayed Coles through mid-on, flicking the ball as if playing a topspin forehand. If he was flashy at first, Roy had played the game’s decisive innings – and given Kent good reason to fear a repeat of that T20 century when the two sides meet on Friday night in the shortest format.

The Zimbabwe cricket team landed at the Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore at 1.45 am on Tuesday to become the first Full Member nation to tour Pakistan since March 2009

Umar Farooq in Lahore19-May-2015The Zimbabwe cricket team landed at the Allama Iqbal International Airport in Lahore at 1.45 am on Tuesday to become the first Full Member nation to tour Pakistan since March 2009. Zimbabwe will play two T20Is and three ODIs at the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore between May 22 and 31 before departing on June 1.The visitors landed amid extensive security, with thousands of policemen deployed along the 14 kilometre route to a five-star hotel on the Mall Road, which divides the eastern and western parts of Lahore. The touring group – 16 Zimbabwe players, nine team officials and five board officials – was flanked by a large convoy of police commandos, after they had been received by two ministers from the ruling party, Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz, along with the top brass of the PCB.The streets leading into Mall Road were closed off to traffic, petrol stations along the route were closed, and even the police vehicles on duty had been authenticated to guard against impersonation.”Safe and sound in Lahore … time for rest and training begins tomorrow,” allrounder Sean Williams said on Twitter.Pakistan has remained a no-go destination for major international teams since March 3, 2009, when gunmen attacked the Sri Lankan team bus while it was en route to the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore for the third day of the second Test. Eight people were killed during the attack – and some players were injured – at Liberty roundabout, located a kilometre and a half from the stadium.
The incident had occurred when there was political instability in the region, because the Punjab government had been dismissed and replaced by Governor’s rule in the province.Since then, the PCB has been pushing hard to convince teams to tour Pakistan, who have been forced to play their home matches primarily in the UAE. Pakistan invited West Indies A in 2013 but the WICB refused to send the team and asked PCB to host them in UAE, which did not happen.Afghanistan, who received Associate status from the ICC last year, had visited Pakistan several times but their fixtures were low profile. The PCB also had talks with Cricket Ireland last year but the tour was put on hold following terrorist attacks on Karachi airport in June.The PCB had, through the years, used diplomatic channels in a bid to win back lost confidence and there were frequent visits by the European Union delegation at the PCB headquarters. Kenya was the first country from outside the region to accept an offer to tour Pakistan and played five one-dayers last year in December against Pakistan A.However, after in-depth lobbying with Zimbabwe Cricket president Wilson Manase, PCB managed to convince them to play a short series in the country. “It’s their (Zimbabwe) trust and confidence in us which will strengthen our cricketing ties with them,” PCB’s chief operating officer Subhan Ahmed said. “We hope to change the perception of the world about Pakistan and build the confidence of other foreign teams to come here.”Zimbabwe’s arrival in Pakistan came after days of uncertainty over whether they would go ahead with the tour. In the end, Zimbabwe Cricket decided to proceed with the tour against the advice from their country’s Sports and Recreation Committee. The ICC also said it would not send its officials to stand in the games, and allowed the PCB to appoint its own officials.

Michael Vaughan believes it is time to replace Moeen Ali with Adil Rashid in the England Test side and for Gary Ballance and Ian Bell to swap the places in the batting order as England prepare for the start of the Investec Ashes

George Dobell30-Jun-20151:00

‘England should throw Rashid in for something different’ – Vaughan

Michael Vaughan believes it is time to replace Moeen Ali with Adil Rashid in the England Test side and for Gary Ballance and Ian Bell to swap the places in the batting order as England prepare for the start of the Investec Ashes.Vaughan, England captain when they won the 2005 Ashes, feels that Rashid’s legspin can help England cut through Australia’s tail and fears Moeen is not bowling with the confidence required to withstand the likely assault he will face. While Vaughan accepted that Australia would also target Rashid, he feels he is bowling with such confidence following the ODI series against New Zealand that he can come through such a challenge.”I certainly would have Rashid in the squad and I’d be looking to play him,” Vaughan said. “I just think it would be something that Australia wouldn’t expect. I think they’re expecting to face Moeen. “If England can surprise them and play just a little bit above the level they did against New Zealand, I think it will surprise Australia.”I just look at Rashid the other day flicking them out at Durham. If he does well in the four-day game at Durham as well, I’d just throw him straight in as a young chap who’s confident. He is on the crest of that one-day wave, so I’d just play him.”With the way that he bowls and the way England have really struggled to get rid of tails, it is something different that England might surprise Australia with.”Moeen Ali is the incumbent spinner in England’s Test side•Getty Images

Vaughan admitted that Rashid is not the finished article, though. He cautioned against too much expectation in him and suggested that Alastair Cook, as captain, would have to find a way to assist him, in first innings especially.”I wouldn’t expect him to whip through the Smiths and Clarkes in the first innings,” Vaughan said. “Any top-order player will probably attack him. And in the first innings, on good pitches, you would have to manage him very well. But with careful management and careful field settings he certainly can play a big part.”Vaughan suggested Moeen can still perform an important role for England in the future. “I think Moeen is terrific, I really do,” Vaughan said. “I think he’s going to have years and years with the England side. But he has had a difficult time of it of late. He has not quite been as consistent and he has not been having the long spells as he has not been taking wickets.”When you go into an Ashes series you have to be so confident in your own ability and you have to be on top of that confidence level to compete. I just don’t know if he’s got the confidence level. He’s not bowling enough overs for me to suggest that he’s bowling with that fizz like he did last year.”He bowled great against India. But you don’t pick someone for what was happening last year. And if they go one-nil down it’s going be a long series.”Vaughan believes Bell would benefit from the demonstration of confidence a promotion to No. 3 in the batting order would provide. Bell currently bats at No. 4, with Vaughan suggesting he could swap places with Ballance.”The way Ballance played against New Zealand was a concern but he’s tough,” Vaughan said. “He got good balls, but his feet weren’t moving as well as he can. So I’d make the change. I’d put Gary at No. 4 and Bell at No. 3. I just think that every now and again Bell needs a prod and a poke. He should gain a lot of confidence by someone telling him he’s No. 3.”That could knock Gary’s confidence, but I just think he’s better suited at four. I look at the whole order and you can have left hand, right hand down the order. At the moment, we have three lefties at the top of the order. If you have three of one suit in any position of the order, you can get used to captaining against it.”Hardys of Australia are proud sponsors of England cricket. Show your support this summer with #HardysENG or #HardysAUS to win prizes

Netherlands bowled Kenya out for 97, and needed to chase the target in under eight overs to claim the top spot in Group B and gain direct qualification to the World T20 in India. But their four-wicket victory took a few balls too many

ESPNcricinfo staff18-Jul-2015
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsBen Cooper smashed three sixes and eight fours in his quickfire 59•ICC/Donald MacLeod

Netherlands bowled Kenya out for 97, and needed to chase the target in under eight overs to claim the top spot in Group B and gain direct qualification to the World T20 in India. But their four-wicket victory took a few balls too many.After seven overs, Netherlands were 80 for 3 and needed 18 more runs. Ben Cooper went 6 4 6, but was stumped off the fourth ball for a belligerent 59 off 24. The new batsman Max O’Dowd bagged a golden duck and Michael Swart managed only a single off the last ball. Netherlands managed 17 runs off the over, one short of the requirement.That left Netherlands tied with Scotland and Afghanistan on eight points, but Scotland by virtue of a higher run-rate finish as league leaders and have confirmed their progress to the World T20.In a group of fine margins, Kenya would have qualified for the World T20 as well had they won. They would have then finished at the top with nine points, but instead their tournament was prematurely ended, after failing to qualify for next week’s playoffs. Although they were tied on seven points with Oman. The heavy margin of defeat ensured they finished fifth – below Oman due to a lower net run-rate.Kenya were asked to bat and struggled from the outset, losing three wickets in the first 15 balls. Collins Obuya did his best with 33 off 44 balls, but the innings never gained any momentum. His 45-run stand with Morris Ouma(16) was the only significant partnership.Obuya was sixth man out in the 16th over with the score on 82 and Netherlands shot through the tail 15 runs later. Timm van der Gugten picked up figures of 3 for 13 while Swart and Michael Rippon picked up two wickets each.The chase began a little unsteadily with Stephan Myburgh caught in the second over but Cooper and Wesley Barresi took charge of the chase – smashing 61 runs in 31 balls. It wasn’t enough to go through punch their World T20 ticket tonight, but they have qualified for the playoffs and still have a chance of making it.

Allrounder Stuart Binny has been added to India’s squad for the second Test against Sri Lanka, which begins on August 20 in Colombo

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Aug-20151:12

Ugra: Binny selection attempt to fill allrounder void

Allrounder Stuart Binny has been added to India’s Test squad for the Sri Lanka series. He will join the team ahead of the second game, which begins on August 20 in Colombo at the P Sara Oval.The BCCI confirmed that there was no fresh injury concern for any other members of the squad, that Binny was just an “addition” to the 15-man unit. Binny, seen as someone who can bat at No. 6 and be a fifth bowling option, will provide the team management with an additional all-round choice. He has played three Tests, all on India’s tour to England in mid 2014. While he did not pick up a wicket in any of those games, he scored a handy 78 in his debut Test, in Nottingham, to help India draw.India do have a couple of already existing injury worries going into the second Test, around their openers. M Vijay, who had missed the first Test with a hamstring niggle, was on the mend the board said, though a decision on whether he will return to the XI would be taken closer to the game: “Improving every day and the team physio is working with him. The final call will be taken one day before the Test.” There was no further update on Shikhar Dhawan, who had batted through the Galle Test with an injury to his right hand.India lost the first Test of the Sri Lanka series, in Galle, after being ahead for a large part of the match. There are two more matches to go, both in Colombo, one at the P Sara Oval and the other at the Sinhalese Sports Club. With the P Sara Oval, considered Sri Lanka’s most seamer-friendly wicket, it is possible that Binny could slot in. Leading up to the game, the indication is that a pacer will in all likelihood replace the third spinner, especially as Harbhajan Singh was largely ineffectual on a turning pitch in Galle.Despite the Sri Lankan elections taking place on Monday, India will train at the P Sara Oval in the late afternoon.

Mashrafe Mortaza has said he will play Khulna Division in their next first-class match, against Rangpur on October 10, in the National Cricket League

Mohammad Isam05-Oct-2015Mashrafe Mortaza has said he will play Khulna Division in their next first-class match, against Rangpur on October 10, in the National Cricket League. While his fitness remains a constant worry, Mashrafe is optimistic that a return to Test cricket isn’t far away.His last Test was in July 2009 in which he had been captain as well. Mortaza had taken a tumble in his followthrough after bowling only 6.3 overs and the resulting knee injury kept him out for three months. Thereafter he struggled to meet fitness requirements to play five-day cricket but has been a regular fixture in shorter formats, especially over the last 18 months.”I will play from the NCL’s next round for Khulna against Rangpur from October 10,” Mashrafe said. “I will also play one more game but not two in a row. I will play the other one later. Now my fitness is quite good, so I am getting the courage to play. I am even thinking about Test cricket. Now I have to see how it goes in the NCL.”His last first-class appearances were in January 2014, when he played a game each for East Zone in the Bangladesh Cricket League and for Khulna in the NCL. He usually turns up in first-class cricket to prove match fitness, but this time the urge to play was due to Bangladesh’s long lay-off from international cricket.Mashrafe will join a strong Khulna Division bowling attack that comprises of Abdur Razzak, Al-Amin Hossain and Mustafizur Rahman. His last competitive match was the third ODI against South Africa on July 15 and after the NCL, his next assignment would be the BPL T20 competition in mid-November.