Stokesley has moved swiftly to replace original pro, Roy Kaia, with the signing of fellow Zimbabwean domestic player Antum Naqvi ahead of their 2024 NYSD campaign.
Naqvi is an exceptional talent who, on the 12th January 2024, wrote his name into the record books by scoring the highest score in Zimbabwean domestic history.
Whilst skippering the Mid West Rhinos in a Logan Cup match against the Matabeleland Tuskers, Naqvi registered a sensational triple century, before declaring at 538/3 – 410 runs ahead in the first innings.
His unbeaten 300* broke Brian Davison’s previous record of 266, and was scored from 295 balls, with 30 fours, and 10 sixes, all with a strike rate of 101.69.
His innings is further evidence as to why Naqvi is, without doubt, the most exciting prospect in Zimbabwean domestic cricket. His sheer weight of runs, across the three formats, have propelled his name into national frame.
Following a quite remarkable maiden Logan Cup campaign in 2023 (379 runs at 94.75), he continued to shine by guiding his Takashinga Patriots to the National Premier League T20 title, before topping the Pro 50 run charts (514 runs at 73.42).
However, it’s his penchant for big runs that have caught the eye. Naqvi became only the 21st player in history to score centuries in his first two first-class innings (140*, and 103), before notching up his third Logan Cup ton (108) to round off his maiden campaign.
Roll on the recent Pro50 competition, and Naqvi would reel off three further tons (128*, 100, 146) and finish top of the run tally – 125 runs ahead of second placed Tony Munyonga, a fellow CricX client.
Not content with his exploits in 2023, he kicked off the New Year with this triple century against Matabeleland Tuskers – his 7th domestic ton across his 21 first-class and List A outings to date. Naqvi currently boasts batting averages of 72, 73.42, and 34.50, in first-class, List A, and T20, respectively.
Not content with churning runs, the Rhinos star has also excelled with his off spin. 20 wickets at 24.15, including two 4-wicket hauls and best match figures of 5-74 in his 7 Logan Cup (FC) matches, then a further 18 wickets in white ball cricket, averaging 35.88 and 16.44, in List A and T20, respectively.
The Belgian-born all-rounder, who grew up in Sydney (Australia), has quite the future ahead of him. Having already excelled in Sydney Grade cricket, and now domestic cricket in Zimbabwe, he has generated Franchise interest from the Peshawar Zalmi, and Jamaica Tallawahs. It seems only a matter of time before he’s playing for Zimbabwe, and in the global Franchise tournaments.
For now, though, Naqvi is set to return to Northern shores having signed with Stokesley for their 2024 North Yorkshire & South Durham Cricket League campaign.
