Offtopic/fun » placed backup goalie Anton Khudobin on inju

Gary Ballance has confirmed he is fit and ready to take on Pakistan in the first Investec Test at Lords on Thursday, after overcoming a minor groin injury that caused him to miss Yorkshires NatWest T20 Blast fixture against Derbyshire on Sunday.It was just a precaution with Yorkshire having so much cricket in the last few months, Ballance told ESPNcricinfo. I thought it best to rest it up with a Test coming up now. But Im absolutely fine now, Im ready to go.Ballance, 26, was a surprise inclusion in Englands 12-man Test squad, having not featured in Englands starting XI since the corresponding Lords Test against Australia this time last year.On that occasion, he was dropped after a run of one half-century in ten innings, amid concerns that his crease-bound technique had been found out by bowlers at the highest level.But he produced a timely return to form with an unbeaten hundred for Yorkshire against Middlesex at Scarborough in last weeks County Championship clash, and though his call-up came sooner than he might have anticipated, he believes he is a good place ahead of his 16th Test appearance this week.It was great to get the call last week, Ballance told ESPNcricinfo. Im over the moon to be back in the squad and back here at Lords. I cant wait to get started.I didnt expect the phone call, it was a bit of a surprise, but the motivation was there and I was so happy to be back in the squad and get another opportunity.The last few weeks have gone well for me, he added. I feel in good form and pretty confident that I can take that form into the first Investec Test.Balance can expect a stern examination of his credentials against a quality Pakistan bowling line-up that includes the left-arm quicks, Mohammad Amir and Wahab Riaz, and the talented legspinner, Yasir Shah.I think theyve got a really good side, he said. A good bowling attack and Mohammad Amir is a very skilful bowler. Weve got to be on our A game, the guys have got to play well, but weve seen over the last year or so, how well the guys have gone against good attacks. Hopefully we can do it again.Investec is the title sponsor of Test match cricket in England. For more on Investec private banking, visit investec.co.uk/banking Drue Tranquill Youth Jersey . -- Nate Robinson has played for seven teams, so beating one of them is no longer a rare occurrence. Mike Williams Jersey . -- Arizona raced out to a big lead and did not back off, hitting the accelerator instead. http://www.chargersauthenticofficialonline.com/authentic-melvin-ingram-jersey.html . It is a cliché dragged out by fans and pundits regularly when discussions take place around which teams are better than others. Jerry Tillery Youth Jersey . The parade and rally were held to celebrate the Saskatchewan Roughriders 45-23 win over the Hamilton Tiger-Cats on Sunday in the CFLs championship game. Melvin Gordon III Youth Jersey .C. - The Carolina Hurricanes have placed backup goalie Anton Khudobin on injured reserve with an unspecified lower-body injury. SALT LAKE CITY -- Some of Utahs most influential Mormons, including Mitt Romney, Gov. Gary Herbert and the president of the Utah Jazz, are lobbying to get the private, Mormon church-owned Brigham Young University an invitation to join the lucrative Big 12 athletic conference.Jazz president Steve Starks says BYU was asked not to directly lobby other universities, so Starks instead has been working to drum up support for the Provo school and enlisted help from the Utah governors office.Starks, a Mormon, says the universitys entrance into the conference would be good for Utah and Utah sports.ddddddddddddThe Utah governors office says Herbert has reached out to governors in Texas and Oklahoma, urging them to support BYU if they discuss the issue with the universities in their state that are powerful members of the conference.---Associated Press writers Paul Weber in Austin and Sean Murphy in Oklahoma City contributed to this report. ' ' '