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Norden ready for life after Mujtaba

26/ 4/2008

NORDEN start their season where they finished the last one – at Crompton’s Glebe Street ground.

The big difference is that, for the first time in more than a decade, there will be no Mohammed Asif Mujtaba going out to bat for the Stags following his last-season decision to move to the United States.

Mujtaba, no matter what his successor does, will be sorely missed, and Norden will find it hard to replace his usual 1,000 plus runs and 80-odd wickets in a season.

But life must go on, and those responsible for finding professionals usually come up with a good un.

This time they have turned to South African Jean Symes who, by all accounts, could well turn out to be a clone of Mujtaba in terms of cricket ability. He has impressed in the nets since his arrival, as has overseas amateur Zane Arthur, an opening bowler who has played Grade A cricket in Australia.

Also missing from the Norden line-up will be a player who became almost as big an institution at Woodhouse Lane as Mujtaba was.

Paul Carroll, previously with Stockport before his arrival at Stag Park, seemed to have been in CLL cricket for ever. But he has moved closer to his home-base and joined Lancashire League club Accrington.

Apparently several clubs made it known they would like to have Carroll in their team once they found he was leaving Norden, which Carroll, according to a former club-mate, thought "quite impressive for an ageing pie-thrower."

Another to have gone is Simon North who established a new club amateur batting record last season. He has joined Hartshead Moor.

On the plus side, opening bat Steve Loster has arrived from Woodbank but starts in the second team, while Steve Fern has returned to the fold following an absence when he wasn’t playing cricket.

So what are Norden’s chances this season? Selector Rodger Brierley said: "Whatever happens I feel we will be a very competitive team. It would be foolish for anyone to say we will not miss Asif, Paul Carroll and Northy. But when you look at last season, Northy was not always available, and Paul didn’t have a good season with the ball.

"I feel that with Zane Arthur and Jean Symes in the team, along with the young bowlers, we can make up the 100 or more wickets that Asif and Hamid Hassan took last season.

"I am more concerned about our batting, as the three who have gone were all run-scorers, but it is up to the lads still here to take their chance. They have the ability, it is down to them to show it on the field. It is good to have Steve Fern back, and he top-scored in a friendly last weekend, while Steve Loster should prove a good addition once he has loosened up."

Down the years Norden could have been likened to an ocean. As one wave of players has ebbed, another wave of young cricketers has washed in.

Tomorrow’s team includes Toby Cockayne who has had limited first-team experience, and Harvey Fitton who is set for his first-team debut after missing out last term when a match was abandoned.

The experience is in the top order with batsman wicket-keeper Nick Brierley who will again be captain, Hashum Malik and Greg Tattersall.

Phil Collinson and Oliver Makin proved last season that they can be more than useful with bat and ball, while John Fawkes impressed with the bat and will be looking to a full season after missing part of last term due to injury.

Norden’s second team will again be led by Paul Morrell.

It all starts tomorrow, life without "Mushy."