Linthwaite’s Abdullah Manzoor enjoyed a breathtaking start to life in England by shattering the Huddersfield Cricket league bowling record in his first ever match on UK shores.
Signed as an overseas player on a student visa in the winter, Abdullah, a talented cricketer in his Pakistan homeland anyway, arrived in the UK to continue his studies at university whilst at the same time, playing some cricket.
What no-one could foresee at his new club Linthwaite, was that Manzoor would go on to smash a bowling record held for six years in his first ever match. Prior to Saturday’s match away at Kirkheaton, Denby’s deaf fast bowler Adnan Ghani was the holder of that record when he ripped through Marsden’s entire batting lineup, taking 10-23. In a twist of irony, Ghani himself broke that record on his first ever UK match and on the opening day of the 2016 season.
The 21 year old right arm quick bowler, has already enjoyed a successful junior career, representing Pakistan at under 16 level, and regionally in the same age range for Faisalabad. His exploits at Bankfield for his new side will surely gain him new followers after he blasted through Kirkheaton in a match that had already seen a dramatic collapse of Linthwaite in the first innings.
All ten wickets, apart from opening batsman Phil Senior - his first wicket for LBW - were bowled. Only Joseph Atkinson, batting at four, provided any resistance to Manzoor’s ferocious bowling attack which was over inside 15 overs of the match. The young Pakistani finished with figures of 7.5 overs, 2 maidens, 16 runs (9 were wides!) and 10 wickets.
The league would like to warmly congratulate Abdullah, and his club Linthwaite, on his remarkable feat.
