Read hope to Kash in

The Lancashire Evening Telegraph

8 July 1998


PROFESSIONAL Kashif Ibrahim has found his feet and he's hoping to lead Read's march up the Ribblesdale League table.

The Whalley Road side have spent much of the first half of the season at the wrong end of the table.

But a fine win against Earby last weekend - inspired by Ibrahim's 89 not out - could prove to be the turning point in both the Pakistani professional and the club's season.

The 20-year-old pace bowler topped the averages in his home country last year while playing for Karachi Whites.

And 30 wickets and 500 runs in just five games in Pakistan this season before his arrival on the Ribblesdale League scene had expectations running high.

But it has taken time to adjust in the opening months and only now is he starting to find top form. ``It took me time to settle down in the first few matches because of the low bouncing wickets,'' said Ibrahim.

``I got off to a reasonable start but the runs and wickets didn't quite come as quickly as I thought.

``Now I am concentrating on keeping the run rate down and then taking wickets later in the match.''

So far he has picked up around 30 wickets and 347 league runs and, despite the side's slow start, he believes last weekend's win could be the beginning of a surge up the table. ``We beat Earby and that will really get us going because our morale is high.

``I'm looking for a top five finish by the end of the season and I'm aiming to finish in the top six in the averages in both batting and bowling.

``My target was 1,000 runs and 100 wickets at the start of the season.

``I'm still going to go for it but that doesn't seem realistic now.

``I want to finish with 900 runs and 80 to 90 wickets because I want to come back and play again next year.''

And if he can achieve his target then it would strengthening his claims of a place in the full Pakistani Test team.

In the last few years he has been a regular in both the Under 19 and A team squads.

And one last push could see him go all the way.

``I need one good season back in Pakistan to get into the full Pakistan team.

``That's why I came over here this year to get some confidence and a bit of experience.''


Source: The Lancashire Evening Telegraph

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Date-stamped : 07 Oct1998 - 04:18