Head Coach Alan Richardson has praised the way Kashif Ali has adapted to the “crucial” number three role in the Worcestershire batting line-up during the 2024 Vitality County Championship.
Worcestershire found themselves with a spot to fill after Pakistan star Azhar Ali came to the end of his two-year spell at Visit Worcestershire New Road.
But Kashif put his hand up to take on the challenge and responded with 767 runs at an average of 42.61 to finish as Worcestershire’s highest run scorer in the competition this summer.
He scored two centuries and five fifties and his strike rate of 65.00 was the second highest of the regular members of the Worcestershire side.
Although the big scores were not quite as forthcoming in the final block of games, it was still overall a splendid effort from Kashif who had little previous experience of first class cricket.
He had played just five red ball games in his first two seasons at New Road before this summer but was up for the challenge of replacing Azhar.
Richardson said: “He has fitted into the number three role like a duck to water and he should take great pride in that.
“There was a hole left by Azhar who had a huge influence on the squad both on and off the pitch in his couple of years with us.
“That number three role is pretty crucial. Kash did a little bit of it in first class cricket in Pakistan in the winter and it was something we tasked him with when he came back.
“He was really keen. What we know about Kash is that he absolutely loves batting and it almost seems to not matter what the format is, or the position he is in.
“It is something that hasn’t fazed him, certainly outwardly, and he has found a way of being really effective for large parts of the red ball campaign and he should be really proud of.
“You think back to that game against Durham at Chester le Street and he played remarkably well to help us win that game after we had been behind on first innings.
“We ask for match winning performances and certainly it felt like one from Kashif that day.”
Kashif and openers Jake Libby and Gareth Roderick formed a solid combination at the top of the order in red ball cricket.
Richardson said: “Anyone in that top three or four at the start of a season, with a Dukes ball, is facing a real challenge and it can be really spicy and difficult at times.
“But it is something that never seemed to have fazed Kashif, and long may it continue.”
