Top talents, great characters and super sledgers in an unbeatable team

Cricket - An all-star team picked by a PT journalist

The PT have published a few all-star local football teams, but now it’s officially the cricket season it’s time to switch sports.

I’ll start with the best team based on players I played with and against in the local area. I spent 30 years playing for Peterborough Town CC in the

Northamts Premier Division, South Lincs Premier Division and the Rutland League. Only players from within the PT circulation area were considered with professionals and overseas players banned.

I make no apology for the abundance of PTCC players in my lineup as they have been the dominant local club in the last 30 years. E-mail your all-star team to alan.swann@ jpimedia.co.uk

I first played with Lewis when he was a 14 year-old leg-spinner. Like me he came to Peterborough Town from the now-defunct Old Deaconians team. Unlike me he could, bat, bowl and field. It’s been wonderful to see him develop into one of the all-time great all-rounders in the area. He’s a classy batsman with all the shots and he’s now an astute off-spin bowler capable of drying up run rates as well as taking key wickets. Lewis has a terrific cricket brain as shown when captaining Town and Cambridgeshire and when turning down a big money move to Market Deeping.

When super Saleem first arrived at Bretton Gate from the Pak Azad side he was viewed more as the hot-headed, less talented twin brother of Nadeem. But my word what an aggressive and entertaining opening batsman he became. I had the privilege of opening the batting with Saleem, briefly, at the start of his PTCC club record innings of 184 at Northampton Saints, a record that still stands even though the standard of bowling has generally deteriorated. Picked up useful wickets as well, but he’s in my team as an opening batsman alongside Bruce.