Shakib Al Hasan finished with seven wickets in Worcestershire’s crushing nine-wicket win over Hampshire in the County Championship yesterday.
It was his first first-class game since June 18 last year. He helped the county to earn promotion to Division One last season and this time he’s played a hand in their move away from the relegation zone with their second win of the season.
He will be rested for today’s one-day game against Sri Lanka with Pakistan off-spinner Saeed Ajmal joining the county.
Shakib took the visitors’ final wicket with the second ball of the final day, taking a return catch to dismiss Imran Tahir and set Worcestershire up for an early finish. He ended with 3-85 from 24.2 overs to follow his four wickets and a breezy half-century in the first innings.
Worcestershire only lost opener Matthew Pardoe in their chase of 106 runs, skipper Daryl Mitchell hammering an unbeaten half-century as they reached the target before lunch.
On the third day, Shakib came late into the game with his left-arm spin. He took the seventh and ninth wicket — Dominic Cork and former Worcestershire player Kabir Ali — leaving Hampshire at 269-9 at stumps.
Worcestershire new-ball bowler Alan Richardson took five wickets while Jack Shantry took the other two.
-With The Daily Star input
