FORMER England paceman Ajmal Shahzad is hoping his time with Horspath will help him in his fight to regain his first-team place at Sussex. The 31-year-old, who played one Test and 11 one-day internationals for the Three Lions, has joined the club on a short-term deal as cover for overseas star Rameez Raja following his return home to Pakistan where his mother is seriously ill. Shahzad was the first to admit things hadn't worked out the way he would have wanted after making his debut in the 59-run defeat away to Oxford in Home Counties Premier League Division 1 last weekend. But he is relishing the chance to line up again for Will Eason's side when they face Tring Park at the Recreation Ground on Saturday. "There are always expectations of people coming in to fill that void and hoping to live up to the expectations, but unfortunately it has not been my day," he said after taking 1-67 from ten overs and making five with the bat. "If I get another run out over the next couple of weeks I would love to come back. "They are a great bunch of lads and they have great enthusiasm. "Having played international cricket and county cricket coming back to club level I know what it takes to play to county level, and they are not a million miles away with their pre-match chats and warm-ups. "I think the club are setting a great standard and it's an excellent stage for any youngsters to come to. For a club team that is great to see." It may not have been Shahzad's day, but he was thrilled to be given the chance to open the bowling after having limited opportunities down at Hove. "It has been a while, but every time you get that new ball in your hand it is a lovely feeling," he said. "It is an important job because you are striving to set the tone and it is always nerve-racking. "I have throughly enjoyed it and from my own personal point of view I bowled in a decent rhythm, but I felt I could have executed my skills better. "To get ten overs under your belt you can't replicate that in the nets. "I would love to fight for my first-team spot. I am out of the side, but I want to stay fit and be ready and games like this help. "The Twenty20 is coming up and I really want to play in that especially with the way T20 is spreading around the world, and with the city T20 here in 2020." While he had to wait for his wicket until later in the game, Shahzad was impressed with Horspath's change bowlers. "Will (Eason) and Pat (Foster) came on in the middle period and to do what they did was fantastic, and to see young Lloyd (Belcher) do what he did was promising," he said. "There is a lot to this team, especially for the future. "Unfortunately we dropped a few catches and like the old saying goes catches win matches, and if we had held on to them it would maybe have kept them to 20 or 30 lower than they got." He also took plenty of encouragement from the side's batting. "The openers (Harrison Ward and Robbie Eason) set a fantastic platform and we could not have asked for a better start, but then we lost wickets in a cluster," he said. "Will and Tom Cosford put up a fantastic effort and I thought they were going to get us home. Tom was unlucky to get out (reverse-sweeping) because he pretty much nailed it." And he added: "From coming in and listening to the lads they have done fantastically well up until now. "It is a learning curve, and you have to get back to training and build for next week. "The morale, team spirit and skill level is all there. It is about making it work and ironing out the creases, which all teams go through."
Posted by: Russ
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