St Helens bowler to play international for India

Jun 26 2007 Liverpool Daily Post

ST HELENS bowler Rakesh Patel will go straight from Lverpool Competition First Division cricket into the international arena after being called up by India.

The tourists turned to the paceman after illness struck down half the squad on the eve of the first major test of their United Kingdom tour.

Captain Rahul Dravid has barely an XI still fit among an off-colour 15 feeling the effects of a viral infection before today’s Future Cup one-day international against South Africa in Belfast.

Dravid announced that 28-year-old Patel, who already has 41 wickets for St Helens this summer, has been called up. He previously played for Ainsdale, where he took 161 wickets in seasons 2005 and 2006 and he plays for Baroda in his home country.

In addition, Ishant Sharma and Ranadeb Bose – both seamers due to play in the forthcoming Test series against England – will be flown out early to Ireland in time for Friday’s second match of three.

India also considered the possibility of asking for tomorrow’s fixture at Stormont to be postponed by one day – but had to accept broadcast commitments mean that is not feasible.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Mahendra Singh Dhoni was the first to fall ill – forced to miss Saturday’s match against Ireland – with pace bowlers Sri Sreesanth, Ajit Agarkar, RP Singh and off-spinner Ramesh Powar subsequently succumbing.

Dravid, himself slightly under the weather along with batsman Yuvraj Singh and pace spearhead Zaheer Khan, explained: “Quite a few boys in our team are suffering from viral injections and flu.

“Dhoni got it first, and it just spread across the team.”

South Africa have, to a much lesser extent, had some illness to contend with but are reported fit by captain Jacques Kallis and can be expected to take advantage if India are below par.

“Irrespective of this situation or not, South Africa was always going to be a tough contest,” Dravid noted.

“But the guys who are fit to play will respond to the best of their ability.

“We hope we can bounce back from this and in the last two games we will have a full complement of players.”

Kallis has no such problems and is simply hoping his squad – bolstered by youth in the absence of the injured Graeme Smith and the rested Shaun Pollock – can prove their worth, with the future very much in mind.

“The most important thing is to find out what we’ve got going forward,” said Kallis.

“It is a chance for the youngsters to try to get a permanent place in the side.”

India (from): R Dravid (captain), S Tendulkar, S Ganguly, G Gambhir, Y Singh, R Sharma, D Karthik (wkt), P Chawla, R Patel, Z Khan, S Sreesanth, R Uthappa.

South Africa (from): J Kallis (captain), M van Wyk, AB de Villiers, H Gibbs, JP Duminy, J Kemp, M Boucher (wkt), A Hall, D Steyn, C Langeveldt, M Ntini, A Nel.