Yorkshire v Somerset: Shahzad apologises for his ‘foolish’ moment

Shahzad is in hot water with the England and Wales Cricket Board after video footage showed he damaged the surface while batting on the final day of the game at Edgbaston.

Shahzad roughed up the pitch while the attention of players and umpires was distracted as Warwickshire captain Jim Troughton was being congratulated on taking a brilliant catch on the boundary to dismiss Adil Rashid.

At the time, Yorkshire were trying to set up a declaration in an effort to win a game vital to their hopes of avoiding relegation, that latter objective continuing yesterday as they closed day two of their match against Somerset on 20-0 in reply to the visitors’ 265.

Shahzad’s case has echoes of that of Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi, who was suspended for one Test and two one-day internationals in 2005 after cameras caught him scuffing up the pitch during a Test match against England in Faisalabad.

Afridi seized his chance to pirouette with his studs after attention, on that occasion, had been diverted by an exploding gas cylinder in the stands.

Although Shahzad is thought likely to escape a ban, he could face a three-point penalty under the ECB’s “totting-up” disciplinary procedure, whereby players are suspended if they accumulate nine or more penalty points in a two-year period.

Shahzad has apologised to the ECB and is waiting to hear whether he will be summoned to appear at a hearing.

Martyn Moxon, Yorkshire’s director of professional cricket, said the player accepted he acted recklessly.

“You can’t do that sort of thing,” said Moxon. “There’s no defence for it and Ajmal realises it’s a foolish mistake.

“The incident has been caught on video and he’s apologised in a statement to the ECB.

“It’s the first time he’s ever done anything like that, so, hopefully, they’ll see it as a one-off and something that won’t happen again.

“We’re now waiting to find out what the ECB will do.”

The incident came to light when Ashley Giles, the Warwickshire director of cricket, drew it to the attention of umpires Peter Hartley and Jeff Evans after the match.

Giles felt he had no choice but to take action after seeing the video footage on the fixed point cameras that counties use for coaching purposes.

“The umpires didn’t see the incident at the time,” confirmed Moxon.

“It was pointed out to them by Ashley Giles from the video footage and then the umpires reported Ajmal to the ECB for damaging the pitch.

“Hopefully, Ajmal will learn from what happened and put the matter behind him.

“For now, though, it’s in the hands of the ECB.”

Yorkshire’s battle to avoid relegation – apparently fatally wounded by the fact they were held to a draw at Edgbaston – at least gained a morale-boost yesterday in their rain-hit encounter against Somerset.

After 55 overs were lost on the opening day, only 42 overs were possible yesterday – time enough for Yorkshire to continue their good work of day one and claim another two bowling points.

Yorkshire, who must win to retain any hope of avoiding the drop, were propelled by another splendid performance by Ryan Sidebottom, who returned 4-61 from 19 overs.

Sidebottom has struck a rich vein of form of late and lifted his tally of Championship wickets this year to 55 at 24.12.

After Rich Pyrah claimed the first wicket yesterday, bowling Jos Buttler for 52 to leave Somerset 151-4, Sidebottom got to work from the Rugby Stand end.

In an evening session played in glorious sunshine after heavy rain earlier in the day, he pounced twice in four balls to reduce the visitors to 178-6.

First, he had Alex Barrow brilliantly caught one-handed by Anthony McGrath, diving to his right at second slip, before having Craig Meschede well caught by Jonny Bairstow behind the stumps for a duck.

Shahzad yorked Peter Trego with a beauty as Somerset fell to 202-7, Sidebottom then striking another double blow when he won lbw verdicts against Adam Dibble and Murali Kartik.

Shahzad should have had another wicket when Somerset captain Alfonso Thomas edged him at catchable height between Bairstow and first slip Adam Lyth when he had made 14 and the total was 215-9.

When Somerset’s score had advanced to 256, Lyth dropped Thomas on 40 at first slip off Pyrah as Yorkshire’s frustration intensified.

Thomas and former Yorkshire pace bowler Steve Kirby added 50 in 14 overs for the last wicket before Thomas was bowled round his legs by Rashid for 49.

Joe Sayers and Joe Root weathered some whole-hearted bowling from Kirby and Thomas in a tricky nine-over period before stumps, with Yorkshire needing to build on their hard work today.