A family wades through flood waters in Pakistan Muzaffargarth District of the Punjab Province - August 16 2010
Clitheroe Cricket Club’s success on Saturday (touched on yesterday) was built on the bowling performance of Anwar Ali their guest professional whose action, very late swing and change of pace reminded Third Man of Malcolm Marshall.
Anwar Ali - bowls like Malcolm Marshall used to and maybe bats a bit like him too.
Ali, who was part of Pakistan’s Under 19 World Cup team in 2006 and who is aiming for a call up to the full international squad, took 6 for 24. He also shared in an effective partnership with Naeem Ashraf a stalwart of the Ribblesdale League and a popular coach to the hundred and more under 11 year old cricketers who flock to Clitheroe each Thursday evening thanks to the organisational drive and talents of Farouk Hussein, Chairman of the Clitheroe Cobras. Naeem along with all-rounder Farouk Butt and former professional, Shahid Nawaz, were key members of the last Clitheroe side to win the Ribblesdale League.
An injury to his shoulder earlier this year has prevented Naeem from contributing with the ball and is restricting his batting but his timing is still heaven sent.
Earlier in the summer the cricketing authorities placed their Test playing facilities at the disposal of the Pakistan Cricket Board. The MCC stepped in to sponsor the Australia v Pakistan match at Lord’s in a generous and sensible act of cricketing comradeship when regrettably no commercial sponsor was forth coming.
Former and current cricketers throughout the game have ties with Pakistan, yet there were criticism that TMS failed to publicize the Pakistan Floods Appeal contact details .
The facile and bureaucratic explanation put forward on Points of View recently was a pitiful response.
It is not too late for the players and officials involved in and responsible for the final matches between England and Pakistan this year to make them major fund-raising activities for the relief campaign, and an affirmation of the cricketing, social, community and national ties between our two cricket loving countries.
People at Sky, TMS, ECB, PCB, MCC, SCCC it is your chance to orchestrate the call to action.
Down At Third Man 
I couldn’t agree more, TM. It would be particularly nice to see Sky do something to counterract the impression they often give of a cosy old boys’ club with little awareness of the outside world. Botham, of course, has a pretty good fundraising record in other areas.
On TMS Agnew always comes across as a really good sort who, I’m sure, would be happy to say something, although he may need a nudge.
aggers is indeed a good fellow
give him a firm nudge
my club has also been uplifted this year by two players from Pakisan
all the more reason for cricket to lend a hand.