Yasir Shah set for debut against Durham (Thu, 11am)

Wednesday 7th June 2017

Men’s First Team

County Championship Div 2

Yasir Shah set for debut against Durham (Thu, 11am)

Pakistan star Yasir Shah is set to make his county cricket debut with Kent against Durham in the Specsavers County Championship on Thursday at The Spitfire Ground.

The world’s top-ranked Test leg-spinner goes into a 12-man squad to face the bottom side in Division Two and trained with his new teammates for the first time on Wednesday.

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The 31-year-old said: “This is my first time playing at Kent and first time in a county. I’m so excited for that.”

Shah claimed 10 wickets as Pakistan beat England at Lord’s last July and believes that experience will stand him in good stead at Kent.

“I really enjoyed Test cricket here against England, obviously playing at Lord’s. I performed well.

“After that I’m very confident here with the Dukes ball. I was the best bowler of the series and I was very happy. I want to try and put in a good performance in county cricket here too.”

Mitch Claydon returns from compassionate leave and Matt Hunn is included with loanee James Harris recalled to parent club Middlesex to cover Steven Finn’s absence on international duty.

Former England all-rounder Paul Collingwood leads a 14-man squad including Sunderland-born all-rounder Matthew Potts who could make his first class debut for Durham at the age of 18.

Kent squad: 23 Daniel Bell-Drummond, 58 Sean Dickson, 6 Joe Denly, 17 Sam Northeast, 9 Joe Weatherley, 3 Darren Stevens, 42 Will Gidman, 12 Adam Rouse, 26 Matt Coles, 8 Mitch Claydon, 86 Yasir Shah, 14 Matt Hunn.

Durham squad: 5 Paul Collingwood (c), 1 Keaton Jennings, 6 Stephen Cook, 14 Cameron Steel, 7 Graham Clark, 18 Michael Richardson, 17 Ryan Pringle, 23 Paul Coughlin, 90 Stuart Poynter (wk), 60 Barry McCarthy, Matthew Potts, 20 Gavin Main, 22 Chris Rushworth, 39 George Harding.

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Photo: KM Group

KENT V DURHAM STATS

  • Kent won their most recent encounter with Durham; ending a run of five successive defeats against them.
  • Durham have claimed four straight wins away at Kent, the last of those coming in 2010.
  • Kent have only lost one of their last 13 home matches coming into this fixture (W5 D7).
  • Darren Stevens has taken a five-wicket haul in four of his five appearances this season.