Great to see Zen's perseverance pay off with pro deal

IT has been an interesting week catching up with a young cricketer who is a shining example to all aspiring young professionals.

- Alan Richardson

I'm taking about Zen Malik, who was in Warwickshire’s side for the County Championship game against us at Worcestershire.

Zen is well known in Staffordshire cricket circles - and also here at Worcestershire after taking his first steps in the game with us.

He's had setbacks along the way, but it made me smile the other week when he scored his maiden first-class century for Warwickshire.

Zen was with us at Worcestershire in the academy set-up and it didn’t quite work out for him. Sometimes that happens in sport.

But the big attribute that Zen has had in climbing his way back up the cricket ladder is perseverance.

Sometimes a path to the top isn’t straightforward and you have to look at other avenues.

That is where Staffordshire have been so good for him as they have given him exposure on the National Counties Cricket Association scene.

Playing for second teams and also the South Asian Cricket Academy (SACA) is another method as well.

So there was no-one more pleased that myself when firstly Zen signed a two-year professional deal with Warwickshire at the back end of last year - and then made the impact he has so far this season.