Can’t believe Tom Maynard is no more: Azhar

Wednesday, June 20, 2012 - Azhar Mahmood, the Pakistan’s 38-year-old all rounder is one of the very few cricketers from Asia who has played against father and son duo of Mathew Maynard and Tom Maynard in English county.

Azhar Mahmood was not ready to believe that Tom is no more. “I just played against him on Sunday. He was such a special talent and now he will be greatly missed”, he said over telephone from Kent.

“I played a Sunday match (Kent vs. Surrey) against him and also shook hands after the match. I didn’t realise it is for the last time I am shaking hands with him”, he added.

“I knew his family quite well. I also met him at the recent cricket show. He was very a young and promising cricketer. I am sure he would have played for his nation. He was striking well and performing so well in the domestic circuit”.

“Last year I met his father in England, where he was attached with the Glamorgan side. Now the father is a coach with Nashua Titans, one of the six South African domestic cricket franchises”.

“I shall be sending my condolence message to the family”, he signed off.

Reports from London suggest that Tom was not hit by a running train. It is believed Tom Maynard had stepped on a live track and been electrocuted before the train struck him. Inquiries will continue to determine whether the officers who stopped Maynard’s car gave chase and what action they took after he fled scene.

That is the biggest tragedy of those horrible last moments Tom Maynard spent in Wimbledon on Monday morning.