SPANISH COACHING SQUAD ANNOUNCE PROVISIONAL SQUAD
The Spanish coaching staff have taken the unprecedented step of annoucing a provisional 14 man squad fpr next years ICC Europe Division 2 tournament
All the players that represented Spain in the same tournament in Belgium retain there place except Madrid all rounder Irshard Khan, who announced his retirement from international cricket soon after Spain´s 5th place finish last year.
Two exciting prospects are added to the provisional squad, the proliic Alcorcon opener Tariq Ali, who now meets the qualification criteria, and Cataluyna star Asif Zia Mughal, who hit 100 in the Spanish league final at the Woodbridge Oval earlier this year.
Along with Mughal, the current league champions also have the experienced Armaghan Khan in the squad, and the effevescent Shafique Ali who now plys his trade in Barcelona after many years service for Sporting Alfas CC.
Falco CC, who also play in the Cataluyna league boAst two players in the set up, Mohib Hussein, who was the most economical bowler in Belgium last year, and the 2009 ICC Europe player of the tournament, Tanveer Iqbal who transfered to Falco from La Manga at the end of last season.
Last years captain Jimmy Morgan is one of four members from La Manga CC. Farhat Mahmood, Talat Ali, and his brother Sajid Ali being the others. La Manga CC´s close rivals and last years league runners up Sporting Alfas have 3 players who have made the squad, with Mark Spencer, Christian Munoz Mills and Gary Crompton all retaining their places one year on.
The final member of the team is Pedro Venus Valiente, the Madrid born all rounder who lives in England and plays for Gravesend in the Kent league.
Coach Bobby Denning, new team manager Graham Howe and assistant coach Neil Brook are delighted to have been able to maintain the nucleus of last years squad and believe they can go all the way and gain promotion to Division 1 in 2012.
Several fringe plays are still in consideration and the door is not closed for anyone getting into the squad with a string of good performances once the season gets under way.
The full squad
1 JAMES MORGAN LA MANGA
2 MARK SPENCER SPORTING ALFAS
3 TANVEER IQBAL FALCO C
4 TALAT NADEEM ALI LA MANGA CC
5 FARHAT MAHMOOD LA MANGA CC
6 MOHIB HUSSEIN FALCO CC
7 SHAFIQUE ALI CATALUYNA CC
8 CHRISTIAN MUNOZ MILLS SPORTING ALFAS CC
9 GARY CROMPTON SPORTING ALFAS CC
10 PEDRO VENUS GRAVESEND CC
11 ARMAGHAN KHAN CATALUYNA CC
12 SAJID ALI LA MANGA CC
13 TARIQ ALI ALCORCON CC
14 ASIF ZIA MUGHAL CATALUYNA CC
COACH BOBBY DENNING LANCASHIRE CC
TEAM MANAGER GRAHAM HOWE SPORTING ALFAS CC
ASSISTANT COACH NEIL BROOK LA MANGA CC