Elgin Cricket Club helping asylum seekers integrate into Moray community
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SPORT is helping a handful of asylum seekers that have arrived in Moray integrate into the local community.
After learning of their arrival at the Eight Acres Hotel, Elgin Cricket Club captain Robin Quilliam extended an invitation to asylum seekers to come train and play matches with the club.
Abdulbasir Mangwal (25), Shirin Agha (25) and Rapiullah Admadze (19), all from cricket-mad Afghanistan, were three of those who took up the offer, along with a number of Iranians.
Shirin made his first team debut on Saturday, taking two wickets, while Rapiullah played for the reserves on Sunday and took one wicket.
Abdulbasir is yet to make his debut – but is enjoying training sessions, which he said has made the trio feel like part of the community.
None of them speak English fluently, with Pashto their mother tongue. They are communicating with their team mates through Quadrat Tullah Sultani, an Afghan refugee who settled in Elgin with his wife and children last September.
Speaking through Quadrat Tullah, who also works as a translator, Adbulbasir Mangwal said: "We are really happy with the cricket club and the members.
"They are coming to the hotel and picking us up to take us to matches and training sessions.
"If we stay in the hotel the whole time and don't see members of the community it will be really hard for us. We are really happy to come here, play, practice and feel part of the community."
Adbulbasir, who comes from Afghanistan's Laghman Province, had a particularly strenuous journey to Elgin. The 25-year-old walked from Afghanistan to France – a journey that took him around six months.
He hopes to be able to stay and live in Moray if his asylum application is approved. For now, though, his focus on playing cricket – which is also helping him improve his English.
Quadrat Tullah – who has been with the club since moving to Elgin – has helped a great deal with integrating his countrymen into the team. He arrived in Aberdeen in September and played cricket for Gordonians before moving to Moray.
"The first thing I asked when I moved to Elgin was 'is there a cricket club?'," Quadrat Tullah, originally from Kabul, said. "I am here all the time, for matches and for practice. I really enjoy playing cricket."
Robin Quilliam, club captain, said that the guys have been a "breath of fresh air".
He originally decided to ask if any of the asylum seekers wanted to join in with the club after finding out that Ross County had done similar.
"We were always on the lookout for new players and the guys have a lot of time on their hands and have natural ability," he said.
"Shirin and Rapiullah are very good bowlers. They are good players because it's in their blood when they come from Afghanistan.
"The guys have been a breath of fresh air – along with (Quadrat Tullah) Sultani, who has been here a little bit longer. He has been a great addition to the club.
"Having the other guys down is only possible due to Sultani, otherwise the language barrier would be too difficult.
"Although I am learning Pashto, too. I've learned how to say 'well done' and 'run'!"
Anyone wishing to get involved with cricket in Elgin can get in touch with the club on Facebook via Elgin Cricket Club 1853.
Games are played at weekends, with the first team playing on Saturdays and the reserves on Sundays.
