England’s daring call-up for teenage spinner Rehan Ahmed would have introduced a ‘informed you so’ smile to the face of the late, nice Shane Warne.
The Australian legend first watched legspinner Ahmed in motion within the Lord’s nets when the much-touted child was simply 13, and was left so impressed that he informed the teenager he was positive he’d be taking part in first-class cricket at 15.
Warne, because it turned out, was only a yr out in that prediction, however Ahmed quickly went on to show the good man’s evaluation spot on when he turned the youngest man to play Test cricket for England towards Pakistan in December, incomes his cap 126 days after his 18th birthday.
Now, after that placing seven-wicket debut in Karachi, Ahmed has been drafted in to the squad for the second Test at Lord’s as cowl for Moeen Ali who’s scuffling with a blistered spinning finger, and it is doable he might change into the youngest participant to characteristic within the Ashes since 1877.
Aussie allrounder Tom Garrett was youthful at 18 when he performed in his residence Ashes in Melbourne in 1877, however ought to he characteristic at Lord’s, Ahmed would surpass Brian Close, who was 19 in Melbourne 1950, because the youngest Englishman ever within the sequence.
It nonetheless feels an extended shot. Moeen, twice Ahmed’s age at 36, will certainly play if he is match, with group medics monitoring him intently.
They’re nonetheless hopeful he’ll be prepared regardless of the painful nature of his Birmingham finger harm, which meant he might solely play a bowling bit half in Australia’s second innings because the guests squeezed to victory by two wickets.
But Ahmed’s choice forward of different doable stand-ins, like Surrey’s Will Jacks and Hampshire’s Liam Dawson, is a placing present of religion within the teen, who’s had a mediocre season, solely taking six wickets for Leicestershire at a median of 67.66 whereas additionally going at 4 runs an over.
But England evidently felt Ahmed’s wrist-spin provided one thing totally different, and so they’ve invited him to hitch up with the squad in London over the weekend.
Ahmed nonetheless believes that assembly with ‘the best’ Warne was a “changing point” in his life because the Australian informed him: “‘That’s awesome man, really, really good. I will be keeping a close eye on you, I think we will be commentating on you very soon.”
“The first time I met Shane Warne, it just made me want to do it more,” stated Ahmed.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
