RUN-HUNGRY Padiham professional Kashif Siddique has set his sights on re-writing the Veka Ribblesdale League record books after lighting up the Arbories with his explosive strokeplay.

The 22-year-old Pakistani has already made his mark by posting the sixth highest score the league has ever seen when he blazed his way to 181 against Clitheroe last Saturday.

That monumental innings, the highest by a Padiham player and which included a remarkable 17 sixes and 10 fours, took Siddique's runs tally for the season to 646 from just eight knocks.

And even though he needs another 963 to eclipse Shahid Nawaz's 1999 record, Siddique, who has already posted three hundreds and three half-centuries so far, believes it can be done.

"When I came I wanted to score over 1,000 runs but I also wanted to know what the league record was," he said.

"It is possible, although it depends on the outcome of the next few games and whether I can set a target after that."

Siddique hails from a cricket-loving family - his father heads Pakistan's umpiring association - and he has forged an impressive reputation back home, where he plays for Lahore City.

The elegant left-hander has made it as far as the Pakistan A side and is widely tipped to graduate to full international status in the not-too-distant future.

He has previously played in this country in the Bradford League and as paid man at Central Lancashire League side Middleton before finding his way into the Ribblesdale League through his friendship with Padiham player Naveed Ashraf.

And it has proved an inspired move by Padiham, whose total of 316-9 against Clitheroe left them just 17 adrift of the league record total they conceded against Great Harwood - when Siddique was out first ball - just a week earlier.

"I am really enjoying it," Siddique added. "I am pleased with my form and feel in good nick.

"I have played a few innings like the one on Saturday before, but it was special to do it in England."

The Arbories isn't the biggest venue in the league, but many of Siddique's sixes would have cleared the ropes on most grounds and having hit a further 11 when he made a century against Cherry Tree last month he is already half-way to the record 70 Earl Eddings hit for Padiham in the 1990 season.

Eddings' club-best aggregate of 1,187 from that year also looks set to be surpassed if Siddique, who is averaging 92, can maintain anything like his current rate.

He has also taken 23 wickets with his leg-spin and hopes his efforts can inspire Padiham's young side to an improvement on last season's second-from-bottom placing.

"This will help me get my name noticed, but while I am here I want to help Padiham get nearer to the top," Siddique added.

"I want to support the young players and I hope we can get some wins under our belts because I want us to do better than last year I want us to get into mid-table."