Afzaal handed Surrey County Cap

28 May 2009

Surrey’s One Day captain Usman Afzaal has become the first player to be honoured by Chris Adams with the presentation of his county cap.

Afzaal, who has been captaining Surrey in all limited overs cricket in the absence of the injured Club captain Mark Butcher, was presented with his historic honour by Butcher before Surrey’s first home Twenty20 Cup game of the season, against Sussex Sharks on Tuesday (May 26th).

He becomes the first Surrey player to be capped by new Professional Cricket Manager Chris Adams and the first to be capped since Matthew Nicholson was handed the honour last summer.

Usman joins Jonathan Batty, Scott Newman, Alex Tudor, Jimmy Ormond, Mark Butcher and Mark Ramprakash as the seventh capped player currently on the Surrey staff.

Afzaal has been in good form for Surrey this year, captaining an improving side in One Day cricket and playing a key middle order role in four day game.

Speaking this week, Mark Butcher said: “Usman has made himself invaluable to the squad in all forms of the game and is now one of the first names on the team sheet in all kinds of cricket. On top of this he is a fantastic man to have in our squad.

“Despite having already represented England, he is constantly striving to improve his game in all departments and thus thoroughly deserves his cap.”

Afzaal added: “As a child it was a huge thing whenever I played against Surrey, it was an amazing place and an amazing side.

“I always looked up to guys like Alec Stewart, Graham Thorpe, Mark Ramprakash, Mark Butcher and Adam Hollioake and imagined being in a place like this.

“I am really thankful to Mark Butcher and Alan Butcher who signed me and made my childhood dream come true. To then get capped by the county and be given the One Day captaincy, my dream just keeps growing and growing. To be capped by Surrey was just as big an honour as being capped by England and I thank Chris Adams for deeming me worthy of this great honour.”