Middlesex’s last gasp victory against Kent at Lords on 5th May was both a gripping drama and a superb advertisement for the quality and theatre of County Cricket.
A game that had twisted and turned was ultimately decided when, with five needed and seven balls remaining, Zafar Gohar decisively swept Matt Parkinson for 6. The left hander taking calculated advantage of the short boundary and at the same time elevating the start of his Middlesex career from ‘promising’ to ‘spectacular’.
An overseas player at Gloucestershire, Gohar is now available to play in all three domestic formats of the game for Middlesex as a local cricketer. Life in London certainly seems to suit the left arm spinner, now very much at home with his new County. “I’m really settling in and feeling at home. The boys have been amazing since I got here” he said.
Zafar certainly had a great time on his very first appearance at Lords last season when a four wicket Gloucestershire win arguably cost Middlesex their promotion hopes. His two wickets hastened a home side second innings collapse, but it was with the bat that he really had an impact. His first innings 86 was the epitome of a ‘good number 8’s’ value, rescuing his side from collapse to set up an aggressive declaration. In the second innings, it was again Gohar who held firm to see his side over the line having made 19*.
“Playing at Lords was a dream come true,” said Zafar. “I had been injured for three months before that game and was conscious that it was Lords so I wanted to do something extra special. There is different feeling you get walking out at Lords”.
Lords and Slow Left Armers
Lords has not always been kind to left arm spinners, but if Zafar wants to look for inspiration, I suggested that Derek Underwood might not be a bad place to start. The Kent legend took 38 wickets at 17 in 9 Lord’s Test after all, including a best of 8/51 against Pakistan, albeit with the help of a partially covered, drying wicket. Pakistan’s Iqbal Qasim also had some success in 1978.
Charming and polite, I detected a somewhat bemused tone in Zafar’s response. “That was all rather a long time ago” he responded with a smile.
So, who, I asked, have been the biggest influences on Zafar’s career? “That’s a very good question actually and I one I never get” he said. A surprising reply, but I was happy that Zafar gave it no small amount of consideration.
Shafqat Rana, Daniel Vettori and Graeme Swann have guided Zafar
“A few people really helped me through my journey when I was young. Shafqat Rana (former Pakistan Right Hand bat and founder of the Shafqat Rana Club) was the first. I wasn’t from a ‘posh’ background and he really helped me when I was struggling and played a big part in my early career”.
“Other than that,”, he continued” players I watch to learn from and have influenced my style include Dan Vettori (not surprisingly a fellow left armer). “When I grew up didn’t have much money, so there was not much one to one coaching. I had to find my way to learn and just do it with YouTube”. Alongside Vettori, England off-spinner Graham Swann also gets an honourable mention. “Whenever I am struggling for form or rhythm, I go back to study them”.
Whilst Vettori might have the more uncomplicated action, Zafar, who “gets more pace through my run up” gains more from studying the longer approach to the crease of Swann.
As far as Middlesex are concerned, Zafar can keep watching those videos! So far this season he has more than earned his ‘all-rounder’ stripes with 16 wickets at 33, a none too shabby return for a left arm spinner in the early season Championship that notoriously favours seamers. Alongside that, a batting average of 29 has been of huge value and includes two 50s against Kent and Derbyshire to go alongside unbeaten, match winning 30* against Kent.
Time for Cricinfo to update Zafar Gohar’s profile
So finally, what about the Cricinfo profile that commences by suggesting that Zafar missed out on a Test career due to oversleeping? Whilst it was certainly not the first time he has had ‘that question’, Zafar’s response was firm, if somewhat resigned. “I had played in 4 or 5 days cricket in Dubai, flew home for a First-Class game and then was playing in that when I got a call to return to Dubai. Late into night I was contacting the PCB to sort my Visa and only got news on it 2 hrs before the flight was due. For a sleep deprived young man of barely 20, faced with the rigours of long-distance travel and bewildering PCB and government bureaucracy, the incident can be seen in rather more forgiving way than it has been presented.
“I really want people to understand that so I don’t keep getting that question!” exclaimed an exasperated Zafar.
As for this season at Middlesex, Gohar wants to “win Division Two for the team and contribute as much as I can”. The evidence, so far, is that he is certainly doing that. Wide awake and not oversleeping, Zafar is having an impact with bat and ball.
Take note Cricinfo!
Listen to the full interview with Zafar here:
