Fitting tribute a fine Preston professional
Bilal Asad
sweeps during his Benefit game at West
Cliff |
Preston professional Bilal Asad staged a
successful benefit evening at West Cliff on Wednesday as a
Northern League Superstars XI defeated a Pakistan XI by one
wicket off the last ball of the match in near total
darkness.
In scenes reminiscent of David Hughes's famous
24 runs off a John Mortimore over in the Lancashire v
Gloucestershire Gillette Cup semi-final of 1971, a televised
game in late August that delayed the start of the 9pm news on
BBC1, Morecambe's Tommy Clough was the hero.
Last man Clough hit a straight six towards the
hockey pitch end to finish an exciting Twenty20 game at ten
past eight, long before lighting up time and with cars using
full beam headlights on the neighbouring streets.
An outstanding professional at Preston for the
past five years, Bilal Asad attracted a host of star names to
mark his well deserved evening in the spotlight. His Pakistan
XI featured several Test match and ODI stars including
Mohammed Wasim, Azhar Mahmood, Bazid Khan, Abdur Rehman, Naeem
Ashraf, Atiq Uz-Zaman, Imran Tahir and several Pakistan A,
U19s and Junior international players including Anwar Ali,
Rauf Akbar, Taimoor Khan, Baber Naeem and Raheed Majeed.
Bilal
Asad's Pakistan XI line-up in front of the West Cliff
pavilion |
FA Premier League referee Mark Halsey was a
welcome addition to the side and proved himself an
accomplished cricketer with bat and ball.
Bilal's Pakistan XI batted first and made 143
for 9 in their 20 overs, the Horwich CC professional Mohammed
Wasim top-scoring with 39. As the sun fell on a beautiful
evening the Northern League XI, captained by Leyland's
championship-winning skipper David Makinson began their
reply.
Notable contributions by Lukman Vahaluwala, Adam
Parker and Andrew Makinson, who hit a massive six onto South
Meadow Lane edged them closer to their target before David
Makinson and Clough showed their experience in a tense finish
played in perhaps the worst light ever experienced for a
cricket match.
The nearest fielder to the boundary, St Annes'
star batsman Atiq Uz-Zaman sportingly signalled that Clough's
mighty hit had cleared the ropes.
Preston captain Lukman Vahaluwala's Lukeys
Sports supplied coloured clothing for the teams and a luminous
orange ball and stumps.
The other main sponsors were
mpi
investments;
gafoor pure halal;
Furness Building
Society;
Shahzaad Tandoori Restaurant, 64 Frairgate,
Preston;
Penwortham MOT and Service Centre, 44 Leyland
Road, Penwortham
and The Sultan of Lancaster, The Old
Church, 18 Brock Street, Lancaster.
Bilal Asad chose the Northern League XI based on
performances in the current season and his selection included
the following players: David and Andrew Makinson (Leyland);
Kamran Anwar (Darwen); Tommy Clough, Chris Williams (both
Morecambe); Sajid Patel, Lukman Vahaluwala, Adam Parker (all
Preston); Richard Gleeson (Blackpool); Luis Reece (Leyland)
who also kept wicket and the St Annes professional Dinuka
Hettiarachchi.
The
Northern League Superstars XI captained by David
Makinson |
Many friends of the League were present
including League President Mr Brian Standing and
representatives from several member clubs including a healthy
contingent from champions Leyland and their professional Brett
Pelser.
Bilal Asad has been an outstanding professional
in the Northern League, scoring nearly 5,000 runs for Preston
in league and cup games and taking over 250 wickets, as well
as 60 catches.
His approach to the game of cricket, his talent
with bat and ball and his friendly and approachable manner
earned him respect throughout the league and if this does
prove to be his final season at West Cliff he certainly bowed
out in style.
The
cameras are on Blackpool's Richard Gleeson as he
bowls |
Bilal Asad Twenty20 Benefit Game
at West Cliff, Preston
Wednesday 8th September 2010
Scores
Pakistan XI v Northern League Superstars
XI
Pakistan XI 143 for 9 (20 0vers)
Northern League Superstars XI 144 for 9 (20
Overs)
Northern League Superstars XI won by one
wicket at 8.10pm
