Cricket: Tiltle now big target for Scholes

Jul 11 2009 by David Lockwood, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

IT IS hardly surprising people in Huddersfield cricketing circles have been taken aback by the success of Scholes this season – even the skipper admits their rise to the top of the Premiership has come as a surprise!

Having scorched to the Cedar Court Conference title last season when finishing 24 points clear of nearest rivals Broad Oak (also promoted after the play-offs), Scholes were well aware they needed to strengthen for their return to the top flight, which they did to great effect during the winter.

But even so, they have exceeded their own expectations, and hold a 12-point lead at the half-way point of the 2009 season.

“Not in our wildest dreams did we expect to be leading the Premiership at this stage – and with a 12-point lead,” admitted the Chapelgate club’s captain James ‘Keith’ Noble.

“Before the start of the season, we spoke about where we wanted to be at the end of this summer, and the realistic goal we set ourselves was a top five or six finish.

“The way things have been going for us we’ve had to revise that as we’ve gone on. But from where we are now, obviously we are looking to carry it on and win the League.

“There’s no doubt we were lucky to fall on the three lads from Mirfield Parish Cavaliers, who have been doing a terrific job for us and were acquired in a roundabout way through Wasim Jaffer, who played with us for several years before getting called up into the Indian Test squad.

“Iqbal Khan was a former mentor to Jaffer when he was growing up in India. The two of them had obviously been in touch, with Iqbal mentioning the fact they were not happy at Mirfield, and Wasim said how happy he had been playing at Scholes, and that’s how the three of them (they always move as a three-man package) came to Chapelgate this season.”

Noble is understandably delighted with their contribution as they all bring something different to the side.

Iqbal Khan and Ibrar Latif have both hit tons this season, the former having passed 550 runs so far, while Latif clattered an unbeaten 135 in the second game of the season and is also closing in on 500, while Mohammed Shah Nawaz is a reliable medium pace bowler with 34 victims to his name, while Khan has 21 scalps with his spin.

Khan broke many League records with Mirfield when he first came into the Central Yorkshire League some years ago, hitting several double centuries, and is still a very dangerous batsman capable of scoring runs against any attack.

Latif, too, is a wristy, free-scoring batsman who finished second behind Barkisland’s Alex Scholefield in the Mirfield PC’s batting averages last season, as is also a top-level hockey player, who plays with Deeside Ramblers in the North Premier League, and earlier in the year hit seven goals against Newcastle University.

“Ibrar is just a naturally-gifted sportsman,” continued Noble, “and actually made his country’s train-on squad for the 2000 Olympics.