HE'S one of the newest additions to the local competition, and Malik Khan already has a five-wicket haul.
Playing in just his third match on Saturday, the Pakistani-born quick claimed 5/31 during Golden Fleece Warriors’ victory over Belmore Bulls 2.
“I got the confidence back a bit,” he says.
“I think I’ll improve down the track, the swing has started to come back a little.”
Khan represented the regional under-17s team for Lahore before moving to Australia in 2008.
He then gave the game away for several years, with this season being the first time he’s playing competitive cricket on these shores.
So, how does it compare?
“It’s quite competitive, I didn’t realise grassroots cricket was so strong,” he says.
“In the country, like Scone, you don’t have facilities like this over there.
“You have to be in the city for this. I come from Lahore, which is the second largest city in Pakistan, and it’s still lacking facilities as good as Scone.
“There’s a lot of raw talent, but only three or four pitches in a city of about six million people.
“To come out of that city, and go on to play under-17s, I had to be on my game.
“But, back then, I was a massive cricket lover. Bowling was what I really enjoyed.
“It’s a great feeling when the ball comes out the way you want.”
