Pudsey Congs overseas player in squad

Posted: June 9, 2007
Updated: June 13, 2007

Pudsey Congs and Spen Victoria will be playing for the rest of the season without their outstanding overseas players Afaq Raheem and Adnan Raza who have both returned to Pakistan.

Afaq Raheem

Both men have been called up by the Pakistan Cricket Board for a 13-week training camp as part of the Future Players Training programme.

Raheem made 69 in his final JCT 600 Bradford League Division One clash at East Bierley on Saturday, while Raza was dismissed cheaply in Spen Victoria's five wicket defeat by Lightcliffe.

Morley's prolific batsman Shoaib Khan was also selected but he has indicated to club officials that he intends to decline the invitation and remain with the Division Two promotion chasers.

The loss of Raheem will be a huge blow for Congs. Last Saturday Raheem hit a stunning 152 in their victory over Saltaire and showed what a quality player he is.

At 21 he clearly has a very bright future and his selection for the Future Players Training programme shows how highly he is thought of in Pakistan.

Raza, 19, has hit two half-centuries in his short stay with Spen and showed the sort of batting skills which have caught the eye of the Pakistan selectors.

Congs skipper Babar Butt, a players' representative on the Bradford League Management Board said: "This is hugely disappointing for the club because Afaq has shown himself to be an outstanding player. His 152 last Saturday was quite brilliant.

"We fully understand his position and wouldn't want to do anything that would jeopardise his future prospects of playing international cricket.

"We have spoken to the coach of the Future Players Programme, Mudassar Nazar, to try and see if Afaq could join up later, but with no success.

"Three months is a huge length of time for a training camp particularly in the heat of Pakistan. I would have thought he would have benefited from a full season of Bradford League cricket."

Butt added: "This episode shows the difficulty for clubs of recruiting talented young players, ones who could make a significant contribution.

"There are so many different international squad, fixtures and training camps that it is increasingly difficult for clubs to bring in emerging talents.

"This league has seen Mohammad Yusuf (formerly Yusef Youhanna), Rana Naveed and Rao Anjum make their mark before becoming international cricketers and I hope more will in the future having spent a full season playing in and enhancing our league."

In a notice on their club website, www.spenvictoria.com, Spen Victoria wished Raza all the best as they prepared their fight to avoid re-election without their most talented batsman.