Golden oldie from Kenya still shines Samad Parkar who was born in Kenya & came to the Country in 1975 has since played his cricket for Finchley Vauxhall Motors now called Lutonian Cricket Club, Flitwick, Eversholt and currently Luton Town & Indians cricket club for whom he has played for the last 8 years. He first played Cricket for his junior school at the age of 10 and is now in his 47th year. He wants to play over 60 Cricket as long as he stays away from injuries. The 57 year old also opens the bowling for Bedfordshire Seniors & has played for them for the last 7 years. He is the current captain of LTICC 3rd team in the Saracens Herts League and has helped them to gain promotion in the last three years. He is also the oldest player in the club and one of the most consistent performers with the ball. Sam was the leading wicket taker in 2013 and has achieved that feat once again in 2014 with 34 wickets with an average of 8.62. He also gained his career best figures of 7 wickets for 7 runs off 3.3 overs against Old Haberdashers in 2014. He came on to bowl when the score was 102 for 2 & destroyed them with his accuracy & guile to bowl them out for 114.LTICC won the match, with another heroic performance from their no.11 batsman Mohd.Umar who scored an unbeaten 35 runs to see the side home. Sam, as he is fondly known around the cricket circles played his cricket in Kenya for Aga Khan Academy, Pangani Sports Club & Kokni Sports Club .He used to support the local team. Sir Ali Sports Club who were made of predominantly international players Samad has also helped organise four cricket tours, two to Kenya in 1987 when he was Skipper & the other in 1997 when he was Chairman of the touring party. On both tours he was the leading wicket-taker. In 2005 & 2008 he was Chairman of the touring party tours to India. Again in 2008 he was the leading wicket taker. Samad has also scored 4 hundreds in his career, with 114 not out against Ampthill Town as his career best. In 1999 he also managed to score just over 1000 runs at an average of 48.6. He is well involved in local cricket in Luton and is also a member of the Bedfordshire operatives Committee who look at ways to improve cricket in the County. A very friendly & likeable & easy to get on with personality, Sam has achieved one of the biggest accolades of his career when he was named as the Clubman of the year 2014 by the Chairman of Luton Town & Indians Cricket Club, Mr. David Cunningham. The award was well deserved for a very hard working, loyal & honest servant .Currently he is still skipper of LTICC 3rd X1 and he is also Chairman of Lutonian Cricket Club. A fantastic achievement by a great personality. We wish him all the best for a prolonged career. Abdul Parkar Luton Town & Indians
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