Two Indian pacers in AIS squad for Emerging Players Tournament

MELBOURNE: Indian right-arm pacers Rahul Shukla and Nizar Niyas, both products of the MRF Pace Foundation, were included in the Australian Institute of Sport team for the Emerging Players Tournament starting July 20 in Queensland.
The duo's selection is a part of the tie-up between the Chennai-based MRF Pace Foundation and the AIS located in Australian capital Canberra.
India is yet to announce its domestic team for the event which will start with a couple of Twenty20 matches, followed by a One-day series. Domestic teams from New Zealand and South Africa will complete the line-up for the event.
The 17-man AIS squad, under former India coach Greg Chappell guidance, will be looking to win the title for the first time.
Indian state side Karnataka won the inaugural Emerging Players Tournament in 2005, while South Africa won it in 2006 and 2007 and New Zealand last year.
"In addition to our 2009 AIS scholars we also have past scholars Matthew Wade and Peter Forrest, who will be joined by two players from the MRF Pace Foundation who will play with the AIS which will provide an excellent opportunity for them to play in this competition that is evolving year on year," he said.
Some of the players who have tasted international cricket and competed in the Emerging Players Tournament since 2005 are Adam Voges, Ben Hilfenhaus, Luke Ronchi, Shaun Marsh, Callum Ferguson (Australia), Jacob Oram, Shane Bond, Hamish Marshall, Mark Gillespie, Ross Taylor, Peter Fulton, Michael Papps (New Zealand), Neil McKenzie, Robin Peterson (South Africa) and Robin Uthappa (India).
2009 Emerging Players Tournament fixture:
Twenty20 matches: July 20: AIS v India (Redlands CC), July 20: New Zealand v South Africa (Redlands CC).
One-day matches: July 21: India v South Africa (Redlands CC), July 21: AIS v New Zealand (Redlands CC), July 23: AIS v India (Redlands CC), July 23: New Zealand v South Africa (Redlands CC), July 24: India v New Zealand (University Oval), July 24: AIS v South Africa (Sandgate Oval), July 26: India v South Africa (Sandgate Oval), July 26: AIS v New Zealand (University Oval)
Twenty20 matches: July 27: India v New Zealand (Sandgate Oval), July 27: AIS v South Africa (Sandgate Oval).
One-day Matches: July 29: India v AIS (University Oval), July 29: South Africa v New Zealand (Sandgate Oval), July 30: New Zealand v India (Redlands CC), July 30: AIS v South Africa (University Oval), Aug 1: Final 3 v 4 (University Oval), Aug 1: Final 1 v 2 (Allan Border Field).