ALL-ROUNDER Muhammed Fayyaz produced a match-winning performance to almost single-handedly lead Kempsey to victory over Hallow.

The 27-year-old used his seam bowling to great effect by taking 5-31 to reduce Hallow to 152 all out in the Worcestershire League Division Five Second XI clash before leading his team to a nine-wicket triumph by carrying his bat for 108 not out.

From Karachi in Pakistan, he hit 17 fours and three sixes in eclipsing his previous best score in England of 37.

Fayyaz, who wins a £25 Fearnley Factory Shop voucher as our latest player-of-the-week, only joined the Plovers Rise club in January after impressing during a net session.

Seconds skipper Tim Winstanley, a spinner who took two wickets in the match, said: “He was brought along by a friend to nets. We had never seen him before but he’s a very friendly lad who wants to play cricket.

“He had to leave early for matches because of work so there was no chance of playing in the firsts but we said we would give him a go in the seconds.

“This is by far and away his best performance. He’s a good player, extremely enthusiastic and if he carries on developing the way he is, he’s going to be a great asset to us.

“It was the classic seam bowler performance. He got a couple of wickets early on to peg them back, then some others including myself halted the runs and we brought him back for the tail.”

Winstanley continued: “We decided we would do everything we could to support the first team so at times we have had to lose players.

“This time we had our top team out but Hallow put up a fight. We thought we should chase 150 but I didn’t think it would be without stress or excitement but in the end it proved pretty easy.”

Fayyaz added: “I practice hard and the pitch was really good, it was a good wicket to bowl on.”