Domestic Success and International Selection
Over the following few years, Kabir gradually established himself as a hard-working bowler who was dedicated to his craft. His best period to date has been 2002-3; he took 138 first-class wickets in those two English seasons, including eight five-wicket innings hauls. International recognition first came during the 2002-3 winter, when he was invited to tour Australia with the ECB National Academy. It was thus unsurprising that he was selected to play for England in 2003, making his One Day International debut against Zimbabwe that July - although the game was a washout and Kabir had no chance to make an impression.
He was also selected for the Fourth Test against South Africa at Headingley in August 2003, taking a wicket in his first over (Neil McKenzie, caught behind by Alec Stewart off Kabir's fifth ball). He took five wickets in the match: 3–80 in the first innings and 2–56 in the second, including the key wicket of Gary Kirsten (for 130 and 60) in both innings. Nonetheless, England were soundly beaten and the selectors rang the changes, bringing in Steve Harmison and Ashley Giles for Kabir and James Kirtley. As of January 2011, that Headingley match remains Kabir's solitary Test appearance, although he has made a number of further appearances at ODI level. His greatest success came against South Africa in 2004/05, when he took more wickets (13) than any other England bowler, and at Bloemfontein somehow conjured a tie from nowhere.
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