Cricket news round-up – April 12: Jackie du Preez passes away, Mohammad Sharif quits cricket

Former South African leg-spinner Jackie du Preez passed away; Bangladesh seamer Mohammad Sharif retired from all forms of cricket; Cheteshwar Pujara, Nathan Lyon, and Michael Neser cancelled their respective County Championship contracts for the season; and Shakib Al Hasan reunited with his family after a self-imposed isolation.

Jackie du Preez dies at 77

John Harcourt “Jackie” du Preez, who had played 2 Tests for South Africa against Australia in 1966-67, died of a heart condition at Harare. He was 77. Playing alongside Peter Pollock, Mike Procter, and Tom Goddard, and Eddie Barlow, du Preez got to bowl only 24 overs in his 2 Tests, from which he took 3 for 51.

Born in Harare, du Preez also scored 4,063 runs and took 296 wickets in First-Class cricket. He played domestic cricket mostly for Rhodesia, which is currently Zimbabwe.

Mohammad Sharif quits cricket

Bangladesh seamer Mohammad Sharif has announced retirement from all forms of cricket. At 15 years 128 days, Sharif was the third-youngest Test debutant in history (he still is), after Hasan Raza and Mushtaq Mohammad. Six days before that he had become the second-youngest ODI debutant (after Raza).

Despite the early start, however, Sharif had an ordinary career, picking up 14 wickets from 10 Tests at 79 apiece. However, he had one excellent day when he took 4/98 on a flat pitch at Chittagong, against Pakistan in 2001-02. His 9 ODIs got him 10 wickets at 42.40.

Pujara, Lyon, Neser terminate county contracts

Cheteshwar Pujara, Nathan Lyon, and Michael Neser cancelled their respective contracts in this summer’s County Championship, for Hampshire, Gloucestershire, and Surrey respectively.

Giles White, Director of Hampshire, said in a statement: “I would like to thank Nathan and his representatives for their complete understanding and agreement and we hope to welcome him to the club next season.”

The Coronavirus pandemic has put the entire English summer – let alone the County Championship – in jeopardy.

Shakib rejoins family following isolation

After quarantning himself for a fortnight in a hotel in Wisconsin, Shakib Al Hasan has joined his family. Shakib had flown out from Dhaka to the USA to be with his wife, who would deliver their second child in May.

Shakib is currently serving a ban from cricket following his pleading guilty to withholding information after he was approached by bookies. He will be eligible to play competitive cricket from October.

During this period, however, he will be working on his fitness. “I am sure everyone is doing work at home. Cricketers know what they have do in this situation, especially about their fitness. I know it can be hard to focus but they have to do something. They can do what everyone else does at home, for half-an-hour to one hour. There’s not much one can do,” he told Prothom Alo.