Geelong Advertiser

KHASIM BACK WITH A BANG FOR SAINTS

- OLLIE NASH

I came to the club only for the main reason to win the premiershi­p with them - Khasim Pathan

HE’S the top-ranked bat in GCA4 through three rounds, and Guild-St Mary’s star Khasim Pathan wants to keep it that way across the summer after a scintillat­ing knock last round.

Pathan returned to India last season after three campaigns with Highton, but has arrived back in Australia with a bang this year, smashing 220 runs at an average of 220 through the first three games.

His top performanc­e came last round in the Saints’ 239-run drubbing of North Shore, belting an unbeaten 160 from 146 balls, including a whopping 15 fours and 10 sixes.

“Yeah very happy with that (performanc­e),” Pathan said.

“If I score 50, I’ll go very fast after that. My first 50 is very slow every time.”

Pathan was a star bat mostly for Highton’s seconds and thirds across three seasons, making the second most runs in GCA2 seconds in 2019-20 (433) at an average of 54.13.

He was rewarded with four first XI games that season.

After being contacted by Guild-St Mary’s, Pathan jumped at the chance to try and help steer the Saints to a flag following their minor premiershi­p last season.

“I came to the club only for the main reason to win the premiershi­p with them,” he said.

“I want to be the top batsman any time, in GCA1, GCA2, doesn’t matter

… I want to be the top batsman any time.”

With a fifth-placed Newcomb & District on the rebound up next for Guild-St Mary’s, Pathan said he wanted to bat the entire innings if the Saints bat first. “If we bat first I want to play the whole innings, if we’re batting second it depends on the score,” Pathan said.

 ?? ?? Picture: Brad Fleet
Picture: Brad Fleet

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