DELIGHTED Halesowen skipper Wes Griffiths has described new overseas star Asif Khan as an “absolute revelation.”
The Pakistani arrived in the town with the reputation of a batsman but did the damage with the ball last Saturday, taking 4-35 on his debut at Seth Somers Park as Hales beat Bridgnorth to continue their upward surge in Birmingham League Division Two.
With the visitors batting first and looking on course for a score in excess of 300, off spinner Khan teamed up with Adam Hawker and AJ Weerapuli to turn the game in the home side’s favour and dismiss Bridgnorth for 255.
Weerapuli then smacked 108 and Mohammad Shauib 74 as Hales won by four wickets to go fifth in the standings and make it three positive results on the bounce.
And though it was a great performance all-round from the hosts, Griffiths reserved particular praise for the new man.
He said: “Asif was an absolute revelation, his bowling was brilliant.
“He is an off spinner but he really mixes it up and his quickest ball was probably the quickest ball of the day. He really does look a class apart.”
He added: “Saturday was a huge win for us, confidence is really starting to grow.
“At one stage they looked on for at least 300 so to bowl them out for 255 gave us huge confidence and more importantly the momentum.
“From that point on I was never in any doubt we would get the runs.”
Hales now head to Old Elizabethans, with whom they are level on points, on Saturday with Griffiths predicting a tough contest.
He said: “It’s a massive game, they are a really good side.
“We expect them to be up there at the end of the season so if we can go there and win it would be really something.
“We’ve had three positive results in a row now which has really seen the confidence come flooding in.
“The atmosphere in the dressing room is superb, we are really on a high.
“We believe we can go away to any team and give them a good game.”
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