Ronnie Irani is ready to play on through the pain barrier to make Essex and England the best in world cricket again.

The big hearted international all-rounder says he is constantly 'biting the bullet' to overcome the persistent pain of a nagging knee injury that is seriously threatening to disrupt his career.

So disruptive that the 31-year-old County Ground favourite and title-winning Essex captain jetted out to Germany last night for two days of intensive treatment in a Munich clinic after the injury struck again during the weekend Championship defeat by Surrey.

He is visiting the same clinic where he received specialised treatment for a side muscle injury before his successful fitness bid for the county's triumph over Warwickshire at Lord's in the 1997 NatWest Trophy final.

Irani told the Evening Gazette: "Whatever happens I will carry on going through the pain barrier for Essex and England.

"There's a lot of cricket still left in me and I'm determined to hang on in there because you are a long time retired - so don't go writing-off Ronnie Irani yet."

The Essex skipper and current beneficiary, who already has three Test caps and 31 One-Day internationals under his belt, pointed out: "I still have great ambitions to play for England, especially the one-dayers, and I keep reminding Michael Vaughan, the new captain of that."

Irani added: "I've only had six days off since the start of the season, which hasn't helped, but every professional sportsman worth his salt has played with injury niggles throughout his career.

"I've bowled my heart out for Essex over the last ten years and although I'm able to bat and field alright I've simply got to nurse myself through the season as a bowler and manage the number of overs I send down better.

"The injury I have is very common in fast bowlers, but I've got to realise now that there are ten others playing in the Essex side."

Irani plans to fly back from Munich in time for the county's Cheltenham and Gloucester Trophy tie against Warwickshire which begins at Edgbaston on Wednesday morning.

Published Monday, May 26, 2003

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