Great Horton's promotion bid has suffered a setback with news that their chief wicket-taker Rizwan Akbar has been called up for the Pakistan Academy.

The Rawalpindi pace man had led the side to the top of the Bradford League Division Two at one stage and, though they have slipped to fifth place, they are still in contention for a top two slot.

But their attack will not be the same without Akbar who returned to Pakistan last week for matches against Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Secretary Tony Hamer said: "It's a big blow as one of our other bowlers is also in Pakistan for family reasons until August and our wicket-keeper has broken his finger."

Skipper Gulbar Ahmed added: "It is a shame as we were looking forward to him staying for the whole season."

Rizwan had taken the division by storm since joining Great Horton this season.

At the halfway stage of the season he was joint third highest wicket-taker with 27 victims along with Bankfoot's Nigel Hanson and Esholt's Ben Lister.

After a slight dip in form, the 20-year-old produced his best figures of the season in what turned out to be his last match with seven for 58 against Lightcliffe.

That spell saw Great Horton end a run of four straight defeats in emphatic style, beating the Halifax side by 156 runs to put themselves back in the promotion frame.

Other stand-out spells include six for 30 against Windhill, five for 37 against Yeadon and four for 27 against Hartshead Moor.

His performance against Yeadon in particular had the regulars at Ewart Street purring.

All five of his victims were clean bowled, with one ball sending a stump cart-wheeling past the keeper.

"He's the kind of bowler that if you miss, then he hits," said Great Horton skipper Gulbar Ahmed.

Akbar's run-up almost starts from the boundary on his home ground, but Gulbar believes much of his pace comes from his quick arm action.

"He swings it both ways and uses the old ball well in his second spell," added Gulbar, who had some specific advice for the youngster on his arrival in England for the first time.

"The pitches over here are very slow compared to those in Pakistan which are very flat," he said.

"I told him to keep the ball up and not to bowl short as it sits up here."

And Rizwan has also had some handy tips from East Bierley's overseas player Jaffer Nazir, who he is staying with.

Jaffer, who also comes from Rawalpindi, had a key role in bringing Rizwan over to England, having seen his potential back in Pakistan.

Gulbar said: "Jaffer told us Rizwan was a fighter. He said he was capable of playing in the Bradford League First Division, but that Great Horton was a good club for him to join where we have a good set of lads."

While his name may still be relatively unknown in the Bradford League, it is no surprise that Rizwan has received the call-up to the academy side.

Having starred for Rawalpindi Under-19s, he has broken into the first team - where he has played alongside Shoaib Akhtar - and has taken 53 wickets in 12 first-class matches at an average of just over 20.

Ahmed is joined in the academy set-up by 17-year-old Asad Ali who had been playing with Bankfoot this season.