Captain's role for Azeem

BARNSLEY'S talented young cricketer Azeem Rafiq has been named England Under 16s captain for the forthcoming Under 16 Ashes series.

The young spinner, who plays for the Yorkshire Academy and is being groomed by Yorkshire, skippered the Under 15s last year.

Australia have their Under 16 side over here and Rafeeq will lead England in two Twenty20 matches and then five one day games - the whole series starting next Saturday.

He played at Barnsley last season helping them win the Yorkshire Legaue title and was noted by Yorkshire.

“Obviously I am delighted to be named as captain,” said Rafeeq.

“It is always an honour to be captain when playing for England. I had heard a short time ago that there was a chance that I would be asked to captain the side.

“I quite enjoy this aspect of the game although you have to consider the team as a whole and not just your own performance.”

He has been part of the England skills set-up during the winter which involved young talents who were older than him but reports indicate that he did very well.

The off spinner has also played for Yorkshire 2nds on a handful of occasions... “I took a lot of experience from those games,” he says.