FIRST-CLASS CHANCE FOR MALIK AFTER EARNING STAFFS HONOUR

ZEN Malik is aiming to make a first-class impression on the south coast after sweeping the board at Staffordshire Cricket’s annual awards night.

Malik scooped the batting and bowling accolades for the senior side - and also received a surprise after being awarded his Staffordshire cap.

The 23-year-old was presented with his cap at the event, held at the county showground in Stafford, by Championship skipper Peter Wilshaw.

However, Malik had little time to celebrate as he was soon hot-footing it down to Hampshire as he looks to re-emerge on the first-class scene.

Malik was previously with Worcestershire, where he progressed through the academy, but he was released in 2018.

He was given an opportunity by Hampshire at the back end of the 2021 season - and scored a superb 171 in a second XI Championship victory over Somerset in September.

And that has led Hants to invite the Burslem star down to the Ageas Bowl for their winter training programme.

“I’ve been invited down to Hampshire for a couple of days a week over the winter to practice,” said Malik, speaking after completing his first day on Monday.

“It’s nice to be down there, considering I only played one match at the end of the season. I was planning to go to New Zealand this winter, but with the Covid stuff still going on I thought it was better to stay at home.

“I will take each day as it comes and hopefully come the start of next season I will get a few games and put in some performances.

“If I do, there may be a chance of getting something (a contract), but that’s a long way away and I have to work hard before then.

“It was really pleasing to get a big hundred for Hampshire - and with it being the final match, that’s their last impression of me. There wasn’t a bad score to follow it.

“It gave Hampshire a good chance to have a look at how I play and it was good to capitalise.

“I’ve had a decent couple of years since leaving Worcestershire and it’s about starting afresh. I feel ready to return now.

“I’m a bit wiser and understand my game a lot better. Playing for Staffordshire has helped me to improve my three-day skills and it’s kept me there or thereabouts.

“I’ve not dropped out of the picture completely, but now it’s about taking my chance if I get some second-team games with Hampshire next season.”

Malik scored 498 runs for Staffordshire in 2021, as well as taking 13 wickets with his leg spin.

Staffs missed out on defending their Eastern Division title, while they also failed to qualify from the Knockout Trophy group.

But Malik could be content with his own performances, which saw him secure the honour of being capped by the county.

“It was a nice surprise to be capped. I received the batting and bowling awards and then Pete (Wilshaw) asked me to stay on stage for a third award,” added Malik.

“I didn’t know what he meant, but I saw behind his back he had a county cap, so that was an honour.

“I was pretty happy with my performances last season. At club level for Burslem we did well and reached the final of the Talbot Cup, so hopefully we can go one better next year.

“Staffs was a bit of a restructure. With Kadeer Ali leaving as captain it was a chance to look at everyone and develop some of the younger lads alongside the more experienced players.

“Hopefully it will be a much better year next summer and we can be challenging for titles.”

Whether Malik is involved with Staffordshire next year could come into question.

If he impresses at Hampshire and earns a contract, his availability could be severely affected.

“My priority is down at Hampshire,” he said. “If something does develop then there will be a lot of cricket in the week, so it would be about whether there’s time to play for Staffordshire.

“I’m certainly hoping that I will be about for Staffs, though.”

Malik was among a host of cricketers honoured at the

Staffordshire Cricket awards at the weekend, attended by more than 300 guests, featuring sides from the under-10s through to the over-60s.

STAFFORDSHIRE CRICKET WINNERS UNDER-10S BOYS

Batting: Zain-ali Muhammad (Porthill);

Bowling: Paramveer Singh (Aldridge);

Fielding: William Weaver (Stone SP);

Coaches: Seneth Kukulevithana (Moddershall & Oulton).

UNDER-11S GIRLS

Batting: Holly Pugh (Brewood); Bowling: Ophelia Potts (Checkley); Fielding: Maddie Davies (Whitmore); Coaches: Maya Rana (Brewood).

UNDER-11S BOYS

Batting: Oscar Edwards (Oakamoor);

Bowling: William James (Penkridge);

Fielding: Cameron Coughlan (Moddershall & Oulton); Coaches: Sydney Brindley (Oakamoor).

UNDER-12S BOYS

Batting: Ansh Kohli (Wolverhampton);

Bowling: Conor Shrehorn (Stone SP); Fielding: James Lee (Uttoxeter); Coaches: Joseph Walley (Moddershall & Oulton).

UNDER-13S GIRLS

Batting: Malisha Tennakoon (Moddershall & Oulton); Bowling: Katie-rose Sturgess (Penkridge); Fielding: Olivia Malek (West Bromwich Dartmouth); Coaches: Ruby Millington (Moddershall & Oulton).

UNDER-13S BOYS

Batting: Gurshan Singh (Aldridge); Bowling: Rory Wood (Aldridge); Fielding: Vinnie Purcell (Newcastle & Hartshill); Coaches: Niall Mchale (Moddershall & Oulton).

UNDER-14S BOYS

Batting: Rohan Vallabhaneni (Newcastle & H); Bowling: Ali Latif (Himley); Fielding: Charles Worthington (Little Stoke);

Coaches: Joseph Thorne (Newcastle & H).

UNDER-15S GIRLS

Batting: Lexie Cantrill (Meakins); Bowling: Isabel Ellsmore (Porthill Park); Fielding: Amelia Lee (Uttoxeter); Coaches: Sophie Beech (Little Stoke).

UNDER-15S BOYS

Batting: Oliver Shirley (Leycett); Bowling: Edward Batchelor (Stone SP); Fielding:

Doug Hughes (Church Eaton); Coaches:

Dan Hughes (Church Eaton).

UNDER-18S GIRLS

Batting: Meg Austin (Meakins); Bowling: Lucy Shenton (Audley); Fielding: Lucy Shenton (Audley); Coaches: Evie Austin (Meakins).

UNDER-18S BOYS

Batting: Hasan Ahmed (Himley); Bowling: Tom Moulton (Checkley); Fielding: Joseph Byrne (Ashcombe Park); Coaches: Sam Atkinson (Moddershall & Oulton).

ABILITY TEAM

Batting: Alfie Crane; Bowling: Sarkib Din; Fielding: Dan Amison; Coaches: Charlie Pitt.

VI TEAM

Batting: Gary Holmes; Bowling: Dave Mattox; Fielding: Brandon Little; Coaches: Lynden Smith.

SENIOR WOMEN

Batting: Poppy Davies (Milford Hall); Bowling: Lucy Shenton (Audley); Fielding: Georgia Norman (Porthill Park); Coaches: Grace Potts (Porthill Park).

STAFFORDSHIRE CCC

Batting: Zen Malik (Burslem); Bowling: Zen Malik (Burslem).

OVER-60S

Batting: Wayne Morray (Barlaston); Bowling: Noel Talbot (Rugeley); Player of the year: Mark Stanyer (Blythe).

HUGH LEIGH AWARD

Staffordshire Ability Cricket team.

FEARNLEY CRICKET AWARDS

Most Promising Male Junior: Oscar Edwards (Oakamoor); Most Promising Male Senior: Ali Latif (Himley); Most Promising Female Junior: Katie-rose Sturgess (Penkridge); Most Promising Female Senior: Davina Perrin (Meakins); Most Promising Disability Player: Alfie Crane (Ability Team). OPPORTUNITY KNOCKS: Zen Malik has been invited to train with Hampshire in the winter after impressing in a second XI game.