CLUB: Read Cricket Club

AGE: 25

NATIONALITY: Pakistani

HEIGHT: 5'8"

BATTING: Right hand opening bat

BEST BATTING: 276 against LCCA in Quaid-i-Azam Trophy (first class) in Pakistan; 280 n.o. in Huddersfield League against Penistone CC (highest individual innings in 50 overs match in England)

BOWLING: Right arm medium fast

BEST BOWLING: Eight for 31 against Marsden CC in Huddersfield League

NICKNAME: They've called me "Shahid" since I was a kid. I'm still a kid at 25.

PREVIOUS CLUBS: Hemel Hempstead in '91; Almondbury in '93, '94 and '95

REPRESENTATIVE HONOURS: Played for Pakistan in 1988 bicentenary Youth World Cup in Australia; played against Australia in '88 in three-day game, Peshawar, Pakistan; toured Zimbabwe with Pakistan B in '90; toured Sri Lanka and Kenya with Pakistan A in '90 and three-day tour against West Indies. In Pakistan squad for South Africa and West Indies tour '93. Unofficial one-days for Pakistan against India in Oxbridge and Bradford '91 and '93.

MOST EMBARRASSING MOMENT (cricket): When I scored 276 runs in First Class against LCCA. I had a chance to score 300 runs in the innings. But I was the happiest man on the earth because I had broken Javed Miandad's record. When I got home, however, all I got was stick from my brother (Zahid) on getting out before 300. There I was imagining I would receive some congratulations.

MOST EMBARRASSING MOMENT (outside cricket): Last season when I was in England I was supposed to go to a wedding with my best friend, Ricky. We got to the hotel, asked where the wedding party was and were told: "There is no wedding booked here." Two days later we realised we should have gone to The Tickled Trout in Bolton, rather than Preston.

MOST FEARED OPPONENT: Malcolm Marshall. The way he bowled at me while I was batting in a three-day game in Pakistan against West Indies was awesome. I don't want to face him ever again. I am not scared of fast bowling, but I don't want to die too soon.

MOST AND LEAST SOCIABLE CRICKETER: The most sociable cricketer I ever met was Lee Bexter. He was ex-captain of Almoundbury CC. He is a an outstanding cricketer. He liked the game and loved a drink. I have never met an unsociable cricketer.

ONE TO WATCH AT YOUR CLUB: One of Ricky's sons, Faisal Ul Haq. He is a young lad and I am coaching him the techniques of the game. I would love to see him at the club playing for the first team.

HOBBIES: Listening to music. I love to read cricket magazines.

OTHER SPORTS PLAYED: Squash and snooker.

FAVOURITE AND LEAST FAVOURITE POLITICIAN: I am not into politics.

FAVOURITE AND LEAST FAVOURITE ACTOR: Jean Claude Van Damme is my favourite actor. I like watching his movies like Hard Target. My least favourite is Arnold Schwarzenegger - he can't act.

FAVOURITE AND LEAST FAVOURITE ACTRESS: I like watching Moduhri Dixit, an Indian movie star. She is gorgeous.

LAST FILM SEEN: Waterworld. I have seen this movie about four times.

FAVOURITE AND LEAST FAVOURITE BAND: I enjoy Indian music but have no real favourites as such. English music, however, is just too fast for me.

FAVOURITE AND LEAST FAVOURITE TV PROGRAMME: I like watching sports programmes. I'm not much into soaps.

BIGGEST GRIPE IN SPORT AND OUTSIDE SPORT: I'm a placid sort of person and nothing much annoys me.

WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU WON THE LOTTERY: I'd probably stop playing cricket and have some rest.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.