Pakistan to play against MCC XI before facing Australia
Security concerns, once again, deserted Pakistan and its cricket fans to host a home series against Australia. The Kangaroos were not willing to come to Pakistan due the deteriorating security conditions in the country, so the PCB – making the best of the situation - has offered to host the “home series” on a neutral venue. As a result, England is going to host its first neutral Test since 1912.
For the first time, the curator of the Lord's Cricket Ground, Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), will field a T20 side to play the on tour Pakistan cricket squad on June 27, 2010.
A deal between MCC and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) will make the Pakistani players a warm up T20 game against an MCC XI. After the T20 against MCC XIs, Pakistan will play two 5-dayers and two T20 matches against Australia before facing England in four Tests, five ODIs and two T20’s.
With ex-India captain Sourav Ganguly leading the MCC XI, the batting legend from Trinidad Brian Lara will also be amongst the big names that will face Pakistan in their first game of this summer’s tour of England, starting at Lord's on June 27.
Brian Lara, while standing in 131 test matches has scored 11,953 runs and 12,425 in 299 One Day Internationals. Lara popularly nicknamed as "The Prince of Port of Spain" holds the record for the only quintuple hundred in the history of first-class cricket. His 501 not out against Durham while playing for Warwickshire at Edgbaston in 1994 is the highest individual score so far in first-class cricket.
He is also one of the lone three cricketers to get the prestigious BBC Overseas Sports Personality of the Year, the other two being Shane Warne from Australia and Sir Garfield Sobers from the West Indies.
Chaminda Vaas, who is currently busy with his county assignment in England for Northamptonshire has also been confirmed to stand for the MCC XI.
With 400 ODI wickets from 322 matches and 355 Test wickets from 111 matches, Chaminda Vaas is Sri Lanka's most thriving fast bowler ever. Vaas is also the only bowler in the history of ODI cricket who has taken a hat-trick off the first three balls of a match. His 8 wickets for just 19 runs against Zimbabweans in 2001 are still the best bowling figures in an innings of the limited over’s game.
The team also includes Victoria batsman Aiden Blizzard and Ian Harvey. MCC’s Young Cricketer of the Year Glenn Querl, who has played for the Unicorns in the CB40 this season, has also given a place in the squad.
The fixture will also spot Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi's first comeback to Lord's since helping Pakistan win the ICC Twenty20World Cup last year.
MCC head of cricket John Stephenson said that they are happy to welcome a Pakistan side to Lords that has a proven reputation in T20 cricket.
"Shahid Afridi's men will face an exciting MCC team, comprising world-class performers and up-and-coming talent,” said Stephenson.
Talking about MCC XI, he said that Lara is one of the best batsmen to have ever played the fixture, and Sourav Ganguly, the captain of MCC side, is a world-leading Twenty20 player. He further added that the match will provide the cricket lovers with a wonderful chance to see fantastic cricket and great cricketers.
Let’s hope some good performances, as assured by MCC head of cricket John Stephenson, from both sides and especially Pakistan, who will be having their home series while missing their home ground and crowd.
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