Peterborough’s greatest cricketer selects a surprising all-star team

Cricket - Top local players come together to form a formidable side

Peterborough’s greatest cricketer Ajaz Akhtar (pictured) has sent in an allstar local cricket XI selected from players he’s played with or against.

Ajaz said: “I’ve based it on players who I have played with and against and funnily enough I’ve played with everyone in my team apart from David Christmas. It’s not necessarily who I think are the best players but the ones who have performed brilliantly in local cricket over many years. That might explain why there’s no Nadeem or Saleem Mohammed for example. They ar two of the best players I’ve played with, but just didn’t play enough local cricket.”

Ajaz is a former Peterborough Town and Cambridgeshire captain.

“Alan had a superb cricket brain and was an opening batsman man who never gave his wicket away cheaply.

“He would hold an innings together and pace it superbly…all with his two shots!

“Alan was also a great sledger at short leg and won over 15 trophies for Peterborough

Town. Also team press secretary.”

Extra notes: Alan joined Peterborough Town from the now defunct Old Deaconians side in 1981 and stayed at the club for more than 30 years before retiring. He is now chief sports writer at the Peterborough Telegraph.

“Although John was my bunny for years he still has a tremendous career record for Market Deeping. “He was powerful off the front foot and he should have been given a chance to play Minor Counties cricket for Lincolnshire. “Also an ace fielder who would be my first slip.”

Extra notes: John played in the successful Deeping sides of the 1990s which featured many gifted players who came through the club’s youth ranks and he’s still churning out the runs for Deeping’s second team in the South Lincs League. A consistent opening batsman capable of big scores.