Glamorgan Cricket is pleased to announce that former Derbyshire and Middlesex fast bowler, Ali Bukhari, has been appointed as a coach on the Glamorgan Talent Pathway.
The role will also see Ali launch ‘Finding Lightning’ – a new Club initiative aimed at discovering the next batch of fast bowlers in Wales.
Glamorgan will host open trials across the country, open to anyone aged 12 years of age or above who is not already on the Glamorgan or Cricket Wales Talent Pathways.
Any bowler who matches the Club’s fast bowling requirements will be invited to be coached and trained by Ali and Glamorgan - a full list of trial dates and locations will be confirmed shortly.
Ali is a former Glamorgan 2nd XI player, who played professional cricket for both Derbyshire and Middlesex. Known in the county game as a genuine fast bowler, he famously clocked 92mph in a Sky Sports televised game.
After sustaining a career-ending injury, Ali began coaching and played as a player-coach in the South Wales Leagues, representing Panteg Cricket Club, Croesyceiliog Cricket Club and Penarth Cricket Club.
In 2014, he opened his own indoor cricket coaching academy on Penarth Road called All Squares Sports.
On joining the Glamorgan coaching set-up, Ali Bukhari, said: “I am delighted to join the coaching team and be given the opportunity to develop the next generation of Glamorgan quick bowlers.
“There is nothing more thrilling in cricket than watching a bowler run in and bowl fast, and it will be my role to find and nurture the next Simon Jones.
“We would like to invite any cricketer in Wales who thinks they can bowl fast and are not already in the mainstream pathway to come down to our open trials.”
Speaking on the appointment of Ali, Director of Cricket, Mark Wallace, added: “Having someone with Ali’s knowledge and expertise joining the Talent Pathway set-up is a huge boost for the Club.
“He is a very well-respected coach who knows what it takes to bowl fast at the professional level and will have a big impact on the young bowlers coming through the system.
“Together with his knowledge of the local clubs and communities in Wales, he is the ideal person to run our Finding Lightning programme as we look to find and train the next group of Welsh fast bowlers.”
Further information on the ‘Finding Lightning’ programme will be confirmed by the Club shortly.
