Atiq and Parker earn hat-tricks of selection
Leyland's Luis Reece topped one thousand runs and was selected for the Dream Team
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Barrow pro Piteter Malan just squeezed into the Scratching Shed Division One Dream Team based on his superb performances in the Furness Building Society Northern Premier Cricket League (incorporating Readers Cricket Balls).
The South African opening batsman hit 1,051 runs and took 37 wickets in his debut season at Ernest Pass and was also top fielder in the league for good measure, with 17 catches.
Malan edged out fellow South African Brett Pelser, the Leyland pro who hit 1,008 runs and took 41 wickets.
Both Malan and Pelser established new club batting records for professionals in Northern League cricket.
Sponsored by Scratching Shed Publishing, the firm behind the design and printing of the league handbook, the Dream Team is selected at the end of each season and is based upon the following criteria:
The captain of the championship-wining side;
The best all-round professional (based on one point for every run and ten points for every wicket);
The best amateur wicketkeeper, based on total dismissals;
The top-four amateur batsmen, based on runs scored;
The top-four amateur bowlers, based on wickets taken.
St Annes captain Andy Kellett leads the Dream Team having captained his side to the championship.
The best all-round professional was a close-run thing but was won by Malan with 1,421 points to Pelser's 1,418 points.
The leading wicketkeeper was Duncan Whalley of St Annes with 41 dismissals (30 catches and 11 stumpings), eleven ahead of Blackpool's Rob Sissons.
The top four amateur batsmen were Leyland's Luis Reece (a club record 1,027 runs), St Annes' Atiq Uz-Zaman (975 runs), Fleetwood's Adam Parker (724) and Carnforth opener Ryan Nelson (722).
Carnforth's Ryan Nelson made the Dream Team for the first time |
Darwen's Alex Davies hit 734 runs but 65 of those came for Lancashire Colts which did not count in the reckoning.
Four of the five amateur bowlers to reach the 50-wickets mark for the season all won selection for the Dream Team.
Spin twins Chris Miller and Ben Simm again gained selection; Kendal captain Miller beat his own club record to capture 64 wickets during the campaign. Rain ruined Lancaster's end to the season, with the last two games abandoned and prevented Simm from beating his own club record; he captured 58 wickets, just three short of equalling last year's record-breaking total.
Blackpool's Steven Mercer had a superb season, capturing 54 league wickets, three ahead of team-mate Richard Gleeson who just missed out on a third successive selection despite hitting the 50-mark for the third successive season.
Preston captain Lukman Vahaluwala was the obvious inclusion after a wonderful personal campaign. As well as hitting 696 league runs and taking 15 catches Lukey took 74 league wickets, a new Preston amateur bowling record.
Preston Captain Lukman Vahaluwala had a superb all round season
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Atiq Uz-Zaman and Adam Parker have each featured in all three Dream Teams since the concept began in 2009.
All the selected players will receive a laminated poster to mark their achievement at the annual league dinner to be held at Leyland Golf Club on Friday 7 October.
Atiq Uz-Zaman was a Dream Team selection for the third successive year |
The 2011 Scratching Shed Division One Dream Team:
Atiq Uz-Zaman (St Annes)
Ryan Nelson (Carnforth)
Luis Reece (Leyland)
Pieter Malan (Barrow) professional
Adam Parker (Fleetwood)
Lukman Vahaluwala (Preston)
Andy Kellett (St Annes) captain
Duncan Whalley (St Annes) wicketkeeper
Steven Mercer (Blackpool)
Chris Miller (Kendal)
Ben Simm (Lancaster)
The 2011 Scratching Shed Division One Dream Team:
13th September 2011
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THE DIVISION 1 DREAM TEAM
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The 2010 Scratching Shed Division One Dream Team was:
Atiq Uz-Zaman (St Annes);
Jonathan Miles (Barrow);
Greg Platten (Barrow);
Adam Parker (Preston);
Dinuka Hetteriachchi (St Annes) professional;
Chris D'Leny (Barrow) wicketkeeper;
David Makinson (Leyland) captain;
Kamran Anwar (Darwen);
Richard Gleeson (Blackpool);
Chris Miller (Kendal);
Ben Simm (Lancaster).
The inaugural Dream Team in 2009 was as follows:
Andy Kellett (St Annes) captain;
Atiq Uz-Zaman (St Annes);
Chesney Hughes (Fleetwood);
Tim Barry (Lancaster);
Adam Parker (Preston);
Bilal Asad (Preston) professional;
Duncan Whalley (St Annes) wicketkeeper;
Daryl Wearing (Barrow);
Richard Gleeson (Blackpool);
Billy Smith (Chorley);
Warren Quinn (Carnforth).
Scratching Shed Publishing are a small independent book publisher based in Yorkshire.
The company's primary aim is to produce high-quality books that are of worldwide interest, yet offer a distinctive taste of the North of England.
Already, they have published - or are in the process of publishing - a number of titles covering such subjects as rugby league, cricket, football, boxing, comedy, policing, World War Two, theatre and horse racing
Their website is here:
http://www.scratchingshedpublishing.co.uk/Scratching_Shed/Welcome.html
