Naved cleared to play for Yorkshire by AFP

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Player:

Naved-ul-Hasan

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DateLine: 28th March 2008

 

Pakistan pace bowler Rana Naved will be eligible to play for Yorkshire during the 2008 season, the English county announced on Thursday.

 

Naved's move to Headingley had been called into question because of his involvement with the rebel Indian Cricket Legaue and there had been fears that the Pakistan Cricket Board might refuse him permission to play in England even though spinner Mushtaq Ahmed, whom the seamer played alongside at Sussex, was given the go-ahead to return to Hove despite his ICL links.

 

"I have maintained throughout the last few weeks that I would be allowed to play cricket for Yorkshire and that my participation in the Indian Cricket League would not get in the way of that dream," 30-year-old seamer Naved said in a statement released by Yorkshire.

 

He added: "I am not contracted to the Pakistan Cricket Board and could not see why they should wish to prevent me from playing the game I love in Yorkshire.

 

"I made many friends in the county when I played club cricket a few years ago and I am really looking forward to pulling on a Yorkshire shirt. I will give everything I have for my county."

 

Yorkshire chief executive Stewart Regan expressed his relief after weeks of negotiations with both the Pakistan Cricket Board and the England and Wales Cricket Board.

 

"The last few weeks have been very complicated for the club and we have tried hard to cope with the conflicting feedback received in relation to whether this player could join us in 2008 given his participation in the unauthorised Indian Cricket League," he said.

 

"I'm extremely pleased that this now appears to be behind us and we look forward to welcoming Rana in early April when he will join up with the rest of the squad."

 

Yorkshire said they would still allow Naved time to recover fully from the shoulder injury he sustained when playing for Sussex towards the end of the 2007 season and that South Africa's Morne Morkel would deputise until the Pakistani proved his all-round fitness.

 

Naved, who has played nine Tests and 62 one-day internationals for Pakistan, will still be required to obtain a valid work permit but this should not be a problem in light of his recent spell at Sussex.

 

"Rana has always been a player I've thought very highly of and I am extremely relieved and pleased that he will be with us this year," said Yorkshire coach Martyn Moxon.

 

"He proved in India recently he can bowl and take wickets but we want to be satisfied that he can also cope with the demands of fielding, especially throwing, before we play him in the first eleven.

 

"He is a very determined man and his desire to play for this club and cut through all of the politics involved, has been particularly impressive."

 

Meanwhile Sussex were equally releived to have secured the services of leg-spinner Mushtaq, their leading wicket-taker for the last five seasons.

 

Mushtaq has often been unplayable since moving to Hove. He took 83 wickets in Sussex's 2003 title triumph, 80 when they won again in 2006 and 60 in 2007.

 

"The necessary paperwork for the ECB has now been completed and Mushy will return to Sussex this season," said Sussex chairman Gus Mackay.

 

"We were always confident he would be okay but it has been a nervous wait so we are very happy that his registration has now been completed."

(Article: Copyright © 2008 AFP)