Saq race is on as Mahmood looks to new campaign
SAQIB Mahmood has been racking up the air miles in Australia and the West Indies this winter, but the Lancashire ace says he can’t wait to get home show Red Rose fans what he can do.
The fast bowler has been at the heart of the England Lions’ plans either side of Christmas, while he has just returned from Barbados having represented the North.
Mahmood, 21, took three wickets for the Lions in a four-day ‘Test’ against the West Indies A side in Antigua last month before claiming nine wickets in three 50-over matches last week as the North came from behind to win the North-South Series 2-1.
That included a maiden five-wicket haul for a List A best in the opening game, all five of them clean bowled – and was one of six Lancastrians in the victorious North squad with Alex Davies, Matt Parkinson, Derbyshire’s Wigan-born all-rounder Matt Critchley, Northamptonshire’s Blackpool-born fast bowler Richard Gleeson, and captain Steven Mullaney, who now plays for Nottinghamshire but is originally from Leigh.
It was a measure of how highly rated Mahmood is by Mullaney and the rest of the North brains trust – coach Paul Collingwood and his assistant Paul Franks – that he was selected and given key overs in each of the three games.
But, despite quickly advancing his reputation within the England set-up, he has yet to really stamp his authority on county cricket for Lancashire.
In playing four County Championship matches during the last two years – taking 13 wickets – six T20s and seven List A fixtures, he has offered promise.
In fact, he has played as many 50-over matches for the Lions as he has for Lightning.
Mahmood’s involvement with Lancashire has been limited due to injuries, but with Kyle Jarvis and Ryan McLaren both having left, now is the time for him to shine.
And he is desperate to help the Red Rose go one step further than last season’s second-place finish behind Essex.
“Even if it is going to be four or five degrees at Old Trafford in April, I can’t wait to get stuck in,” he said.
“We had a really good year, but Essex had 10 or 11 wins out of 14. There was only going to be one winner there.
“But I think with another year’s experience for the lads and to know what it’s like to be up near the top of the table, I think it will give us the confidence to go further this time.
“We have a good group of lads at Lancs, we’re tight-knit. Although there’s a lot of competition for places, everyone backs each other. I know the lads are really looking forward to the season.”
On his winter, he said: “It’s been a good one, and I’ve learnt quite a lot.
“I was in Australia pre-Christmas working with a new coaching staff, guys I hadn’t worked with before.
“Glen Chapple was out with the Lions in Jamaica and I’ve worked with Kevin Shine in the past. But in Australia before Christmas our bowling coach was Jon Lewis, who was really good for me as well.”