GREENFIELD CRICKET Club has signed Zimbabwe Test player Tinashe Panyangara as their new professional.
It is quite a coup as the 29-year-old will be opening the bowling for his country in the World Cup which begins in New Zealand this month.
Panyangara has played nine tests for Zimbabwe along with 38 one-day internationals and six Twenty20 matches.
Greenfield secretary Michael Moore is delighted with the capture declaring: “Tinashe is the biggest professional we have had for many years in terms of significance in that he will be opening the bowling for Zimbabwe at the World Cup.
“We are looking forward to having him at the club and working with him throughout the summer.”
Greenfield are confident Panyangara will be a hit as he is used to playing in the English climate as not long ago he was paid man at Barkisland in the Huddersfield League.
Indeed, that is how Greenfield came to sign the Test star, who succeeds Chris Gill who reverts to being an amateur at the club.
“One of our players, Adam Robinson, played with Tinashe at Barkisland, and that is how we got in contact with him,” explained Mr Moore.
Greenfield will also have an overseas amateur, opening batsman Brandon Jacobs.
That deal has been set up by captain Chris Gill who is currently playing for the same club side in Perth, Australia.
MEANWHILE, Stayley also have a new professional, Pakistani Hamza Nadeem.
The 27-year-old right arm fast bowler has experience of playing in the Birmingham Premier League.
Nadeem, who has played 19 first-class matches, replaces Kamra Hussein.
Stayley have also signed Peter Skuse who spent last season at Micklehurst having previously spent 16 years at Saddleworth.
