Ribblesdale League: We thought we would win title, says Nawaz

19 July 1997

'We thought we would win title' says Nawaz

Lancashire Evening Telegraph

READ professional Shahid Nawaz well remembers the expectancy at Whalley Road before the season began.

"We thought we would win the league," he recalled.

"Some at the club thought it would be a piece of cake.

"Well it's become a piece of very hard stone and it's not going to happen for us now."

Shahid's Read encounter tomorrow a team for which it may happen this season in the shape of Clitheroe.

And after watching both of the main contenders - Clitheroe and Cherry Tree - for two seasons now, Shahid has no doubt about who the eventual champions will be.

"Clitheroe, definitely," he said without hesitation.

"Obviously both teams are going well at the moment but I've seen Clitheroe in their bad form as well.

"And they can perform even when their professional (Jonathan Fielding) doesn't.

"Cherry Tree, on the other hand, depend extensively on their pro, Naeem Ashraf.

"And so far he's done well.

"But he won't be able to carry his team week in and week out.

"They will have to work for results at some stage without him.

"All teams enter a bad patch. I've never seen a team go unbeaten for 26 games or whatever in my career.

"And I don't think Cherry Tree's unbeaten run after the first couple of games can go on forever.

"I believe they will lose at least four more matches by the end of the season."

Read's season has long since finished in terms of challenging for honours.

After threatening until the death in both league and cup last season it has been disappointing.

"I think there has been more pressure this season," said Shahid.

"We lost our first game at Earby, chasing 140 and falling one run short.

"And since then we have been trying to catch up.

"This puts even more pressure on.

"We have suffered through injury as well, For instance, Martin Greenhalgh has been out with a back injury for eight or nine weeks and this weekend we are without six players.

"We have brought in some young players to give them experience and groom them for coming years.

"Still, we're playing to win games

"But you cannot hope to compete at your best when the team is not at full strength."

His own performances have not been at all bad with 510 runs and 35 wickets to his name.

"I'm happy enough with that," said Shahid.

"I've been knocking at the door of the Pakistan team for a couple of years and if I can keep it going when I get back I can maybe make the breakthrough."

Fixtures: Baxenden v Padiham, Earby v Edenfield, Great Harwood v Barnoldswick, Osw Immanuel v Cherry Tree, Read v Clitheroe, Settle v Blackburn N, Whalley v Ribblesdale W.