An England cricket hero will be rolling back the years – almost 11 years to the day he clinched one of the most exciting victories in Test history.
Steve Harmison is set to appear at Prestwich Cricket Club on Friday August 5th as part of a team of former English internationals.
Harmison will be playing for the PCA England Masters against Prestwich 1st XI, starting at 4pm.
Back on August 7th 2005, the 6ft 4in Durham fast bowler took the wicket of last man Michael Kasprowicz, caught down the legside by wicketkeeper Geraint Jones, to give England victory against the old enemy Australia by just two runs.
Today, it is still regarded as one of the greatest-ever Test Matches.
Harmison was also a key figure in the following Test Match at Old Trafford in 2005, when an estimated 30,000 spectators were locked out of the ground on the final day. He dismissed captain Ricky Ponting for 156 with four overs left, but Australia’s last pair managed to hang on for a dramatic draw.
Also appearing will be former Lancashire fast bowler Saj Mahmood, who hails from Bolton.
He played for Lancashire for 10 years, signing up in 2002, and made eight Test appearances, with best bowling figures of 4 for 22.
Already confirmed for the game are Neil Fairbrother, Owias Shah, Usman Afzaal, Richard Blakey and Alec Tudor.
Fairbrother, a Lancashire legend, was not just a master of the one-day game, making 75 appearances for England in that format. He also hit 47 first-class hundreds.
Shah is on the most wanted list when it comes to T20 tournaments, having played in the Big Bash, Caribbean League and IPL since retiring from first-class cricket last year.
Afzaal, a former Surrey captain, returned best figures of 6 for 67 in his 11 Test appearances for England.
Blakey was a wicketkeeper for Yorkshire over two decades, amassing almost 15,000 runs and claiming more than 830 victims.
Tudor was a fiery quick bowler but also made his mark with the bat with 99 not out for England against New Zealand.
The PCA England Masters event will be raising money for its benevolent fund and grassroots cricket.
A coaching session for the club’s junior members will run from 11am to 12.30pm in the presence of the players.
It will be followed by a lunch for PCA (Professional Cricketers Association) players and officials, sponsors and invited guests, and includes a question-and-answer session.
Admission to the game, which starts at 4pm, is £5 per adult, with children free. There will also be opportunities for autographs and photographs with the players.
* The full PCA England Masters team will be revealed on our website once it has been confirmed.
We are looking for donations for a raffle which will be held at the game. The proceeds will be split between PCC and the LCCC Flood Line appeal set up to help grass root cricket clubs who have suffered hardship during the dreadful winter weather.
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