agence france-presse
LONDON, 8 JUNE: A 15-year-old bowler is poised to make history after being named in English county Yorkshire’s squad for their domestic 40-over match with Leicestershire on Sunday.
At the age of 15 years and 212 days, Matthew Fisher will become the youngest post-war cricketer to play in one of England’s county competitions if he features in the game in the northeastern town of Scarborough.
"I could never imagine at the start of the season that I would be named in the first-team squad," he told the website of a British newspaper on Friday.
"It’s unbelievable. When I found out, I was very proud and emotional. I was smiling from ear to ear. My target at the start of the year was to get one or two second-team games — I’ve already surpassed that."
Fisher, a right-arm seamer, already bowls at around 80 miles per hour (129 kilometres per hour) and took 6-25 against Leicestershire in a second-team game last week.
"Matthew deserves his call-up into the squad," Yorkshire coach Jason Gillespie told the club website.
"We monitor the progress of all our players and the feedback I have received from (second-team coach) Paul Farbrace on the way Matthew has been playing has been excellent.
"He is very young, but he has the ability to be successful if he is selected on Sunday."
The record for the youngest player to appear in an English first-class game is held by Yorkshire wicketkeeper Barney Gibson, who was 15 years and 27 days old when he donned the gloves against Durham University in April 2011.
Gibson broke a record set by Hampshire’s Charles Young in 1867, but he is still waiting for his second appearance in the senior side.
Haddin shines
Australia A captain Brad Haddin hit a century as the tourists recovered from a slow start to reach 335 for 6 at the end of the first day of their four-day tour match against Scotland in Edinburgh.
The Australian reserves were struggling at 23 for 2 after Jordan Silk had been caught by Preston Mommsen off the bowling of Gordon Goudie for just four, while Alex Doolan had made only 14 when he was bowled by Iain Wardlaw.
Usman Khawaja and Steven Smith put on 42 for the third wicket before Smith was dismissed by Calum MacLeod and Khawaja went on to make 51 before becoming Wardlaw’s second victim with the score on 138.
The dismissal of Moises Henriques for 20 left Australia on 171 for 5, but Haddin and Peter Siddle combined for a partnership of 118 before Haddin was caught behind off the bowling of Moneeb Iqbal.
Haddin’s 113 came from 157 balls with 12 fours and two sixes. Siddle was 85 not out from 128 balls at the close with James Pattinson unbeaten on nine.