Pro Naseer has positively altered the Padiham T20 mindset

Yahoo

18-07-2025

Toby Burrows says in-form professional Iftikhar Naseer has inspired a new-found enthusiasm for T20 cricket within Padiham's dressing room as they prepare for Sunday's Birtwistle Cup Finals Day, hosted by Astley Bridge.
Padiham will face 2023 champions Little Lever in the day's first semi-final (10.30am) before Bridge face Read (1pm) ahead of an early-evening final (4.15pm).
All four teams will battle it out for the first title of the Anthony Axford North West Cricket League summer, one which Lostock won this time last year.
'From a club point of view, we love T20,' said captain and spinner Burrows.
'We reached, and hosted, Finals Day a couple of years ago.
'From a playing point of view, we've not actually got a group of lads that have loved it too much, really. There's quite a few of us who aren't the biggest fans of T20.
'But this year, Ifty coming in, it's probably his favourite format because he played a lot of it. And he's come in and instilled a bit more of a seriousness and an enjoyment into this competition for us.'
Asked why Padiham's players haven't really taken to T20 previously, Burrows said: 'I just think a lot of our players prefer the longer format. It's just the way they've been brought up.
'So it's probably more of an attitude thing.
'Maybe part of that has come from me. It's not my favourite format. It doesn't do me any favours with the ball.
'But, honestly, Ifty has come in and changed our whole attitude towards it. And that's probably fed into our longer-format cricket as well, that extra positivity.
'Whenever he's speaking to one of the lads, its all about intent, intent, intent. It's been a really good thing and a bit of an eye-opener for all of us in terms of how we need to play.'
Burrows continued: 'We beat Whalley in the quarter-finals on Friday, and Ifty was involved in a run-out with Callum Clarke. Callum got run-out, but next ball Ifty hits it for six over long-off.
'I don't think many people would ever think to do that. But it's that intent to go again.'
Local pro Naseer, a replacement for Jack Edgar ahead of 2025, has been Padiham's standout performer in a T20 competition which saw them win three of five games to finish second behind Read in Group One North. As Burrows said, they then beat Whalley in the last eight last week.
'We lost our first game to Foulridge. From then on, I don't think many would have expected us to be at Finals Day!' chuckled Burrows.
Naseer has been opening the batting in T20 and the second leading run-scorer in the competition with 280 from six matches, behind only Read's Joe Halstead (327).
Naseer's haul includes scores of 81 and 71 - the latter against Whalley - and he has also taken eight wickets with his mystery spin: 'He probably bowls six different balls in an over,' said Burrows.
With his left-arm spin, Burrows is Padiham's leading T20 wicket-taker this season with 12, while South African overseas amateur Zander Van Tonder has been excellent too with 11 wickets and 171 runs.
'We're going to do everything we can to get this first trophy in the bag, and then hopefully it gives us that momentum to take through into the league and to the Hamer Cup,' continued the skipper.
'It's whoever has a day out, isn't it. You only really need one or two players, don't you, to perform.
'If somebody gets a big score or someone blows away a few at top order, it can be game over.'
Safe to say, whatever happens on Sunday at Sharples Park, Padiham will enjoy themselves. After all, all-round pro Naseer would not have it any other way.
'He's definitely given us more of that carefree attitude towards T20,' said Burrows, whose side currently sit fifth-placed in the Premiership league table having won six of 12 games so far this season.
'That's not being reckless or not being bothered about it, not at all. He's just all about that positivity.
'And he's such a great guy to be around.
'You always know something's going to happen. It's never going to be dull, and he definitely gets people on the edge of their seats.'
Adding extra intrigue to Sunday's semi-final against Little Lever is the fact it's a dress-rehearsal for next month's Hamer Cup final at Read (August 10).
But Burrows added: 'T20 is a completely different format. It's almost like a different sport in many ways, so I don't think whatever happens on Sunday will carry too much weight in terms of the Hamer Cup.
'But I guess it does set it up nicely. We also play them the weekend before in the league. We'll certainly be pretty familiar with each other over the next month.'