Bashir to miss rest of season

ADMIRED professional Aamir Bashir has played in eight games this season.

CRICKET:

CONCERNS are growing for the health of respected professional Aamir Bashir.

The Pakistani, who has served Hollinwood for almost a decade in the Saddleworth and District Cricket League, has spent part of this week in Manchester Royal.

Bashir (38) had a successful bone marrow transplant before Christmas in Lahore, and was confident of playing a full part this season.

But after featuring in eight games, his campaign is over.

It was originally thought Bashir was suffering from a severe bout of food poisoning, but it is believed he has an infection on the site of a previous operation.

Bashir, who joined Hollinwood in 2001 after a two-year spell at Uppermill, didn’t play at all for the club in 2009 and made just 10 appearances in 2008 because of illness. He was made captain for the first time this season.

Close friends and Hollinwood team-mates Shahzad Sadaqat, Zeeshan Ahmed, Mohammed Shazad and Shakeel Saddique have already pulled out of tomorrow’s match at home to Saddleworth.

And with a clutch of other players unavailable because of work and holiday commitments, the Lime Lane outfit are struggling to raise two teams.

Meanwhile, Bamford Fieldhouse are at home to Droylsden.

Shaw, playing for the first time since captain Steve Whiston quit Holebottom Clough, will look for a pick-me-up at Austerlands.

They need a shot-in-the-arm as their hopes of runners-up spot has stalled after a run of four matches without a win.

But Austerlands will not be pushovers. Although they are third-from-bottom, Kevin Du Feu’s team are only 13 points adrift of Droylsden.

Heyside, in second place, visit a Greenfield side on a high after reaching the Tanner Cup final.

Greenfield’s victims in the last four, Uppermill, will welcome back Michael Brooks for their trip to Stayley. The all-rounder has been sidelined because of a shoulder injury.

And in what is expected to be keenly-contested mid-table battle Glodwick play host to in-form Friarmere.

Fixtures (start 1.45pm) —

Tomorrow: Stayley v Uppermill; Glodwick v Friarmere; Austerlands v Shaw; Hollinwood v Saddleworth; Bamford Fieldhouse v Droylsden; Greenfield v Heyside. Open date: Moorside.


JAMES Chamberlain won’t play in the Saddleworth League until August 28 after he was suspended for showing dissent.

The Saddleworth batsman was handed a six-game ban — it started on July 17 — after he was found to have used foul language and thrown his bat twice on being given out against Glodwick on June 26.