Hassan Khan - Triple congratulations

Our popular all rounder took his first hat-trick for the club yesterday (only about the fifth hat-trick in Nomads history).  And congratulations for this must be added to an overdue double tribute.  Hassan made his 100th appearance for Nomads in the first game of this season (only the 6th player to achieve this) and in August last year he passed John Chance's long-standing record and became the all-time top run scorer for the Nomads.  He is now on around 3700, bearing down fast on his 4,000.
Hassan first played for Nomads back in the 2000 season, when we were briefly a League side, and did well with bat and ball, but we had so many fine players at that time that my main memory of him is when he belted a ball to the Mid-Wicket boundary for an almost certain 6, only to be denied when our very own Andrew West - guesting for the opposition and, to be fair, not the most co-ordinated of fielders - stuck out one meaty paw and the ball, incredibly, stuck.  The 22 men who witnessed this are privileged because it is not available on DVD and it was the most remarkable catch I have seen in over 40 years of watching cricket at all levels.
I don't think Hassan felt privileged though and he understandably took refuge in playing proper League Cricket for a few years.  He returned to the Nomads in 2006, just when we needed him as our fine mid-2000s side with Gaurang, Upeka, Jean-Claude and Shailesh was breaking up.  Since then it is fair to say that he has been the best regular player in Nomads history.  He has dominated the middle-order and been at the heart of 2 fantastic batting line-ups; Hassan, Ben Fewson and John Chance in 2007 and Hassan, Ben Fewson, Mark Bradshaw and Prasanth Pattiyil in 2009-2010.  I have had the pleasure of watching most of his innings, usually from the umpire's position, and there often comes a point - usually on around 25 - when something clicks and you can tell the bowlers are in for some punishment.  He is also very good at batting with the lower order and taking charge of a partnership. I am proud to share the club record 5th wicket stand of 139 with him, but I recall that when the 50 partnership came up, I was still on 0.
Hassan's opening bowling partnership with Emil Todorow is legendary around South London Sunday cricket and there have been periods where he has appeared impossible to score off at above 2 an over. Plenty of wickets have come as well and I swear he would swap 10 wickets from his pace bowling for 1 wicket with one of his slower balls.
Hassan is a great guy and has been a pleasure to play with.  He knows the game inside out but always keeps a sense of fun.  Only he could have nicknamed Emil "Mushy", after the famously hairy Leg Spinner Mushtaq Ahmed.  It can't be easy being a class player in the Nomads.  Only yesterday he bowled an over which should have conceded 4 at the most, but Nomads' fielders somehow turned this into 11.  He bounced back the very next over to claim a hat-trick.