HUDDERSFIELD-born Ajmal Shahzad has been awarded his full county cap by Yorkshire.
The news came ahead of the opening Championship fixture against Warwickshire at Edgbaston yesterday.
All-rounder David Wainwright, from Pontefract, also received his full cap and director of cricket Martyn Moxon said: “Ajmal and David fully deserve their County caps.
“It is an exceptionally special moment for any Yorkshire player and they should both be immensely proud.
“Of course, this is just another step along the way to what we all hope will be two illustrious Yorkshire careers, but they are both terrific men who can be proud of what they’ve already achieved.
“However, wearing that cap brings added responsibility, too, and they must now be even more determined to bring success to Headingley Carnegie.”
Shahzad, who toured Bangladesh with England this winter and did well in the one-day format, first rose to prominence in 2004 as the first British-born Asian to represent Yorkshire.
He had a spell with Elland in the Drakes Huddersfield League and now finds himself both spearheading the White Rose’s bowling attack and pressing hard for further international honours. Yorkshire had to fight exceptionally hard to re-sign him at the end of last year due to massive interest shown by other counties.
And Shahzad celebrated yesterday with an early wicket and three in all as the home side were skittled for 217 and Yorkshire secured maximum bowling points by tea.
The opening day of the Division I meeting went new skipper Andrew Gale’s way when he won the toss and received maximum support from his quartet of seamers.
On a pitch offering some movement, Warwickshire lost seven wickets in 30 overs in the afternoon session.
Yorkshire, left with 36 overs to bat, relied on Joe Sayers, making 50 from 86 balls, as they reached 128-3 in an encouraging start for a side who finished last summer fighting to stave off relegation.
With the old pavilion and three stands demolished in a re-development project, Edgbaston presented a strange backdrop when Gale, at 26 Yorkshire’s youngest post-war captain, celebrated a wicket in the fourth over.
Former Essex opener Varun Chopra, having faced only nine balls on his debut, was lbw to Shahzad. It was the start of a lot of trouble for the home side.
