When Brigade skipper Mark Simpson called Iftikhar Hussain forward to receive his championship winners medal earlier this month it was the third time in his 5-year stint at the club that the affable Pakistani had finished top of the heap. The Lahore-born player was competing in his 13th North West season but it was plain to see that all the old hunger was still there and that while the younger players enjoyed their champagne moment, “Ifti” was happy to bask in the thoughts of a job well done.

His links with North West cricket began in 1998 as the all-rounder takes up the story- “I was playing my club cricket with KRL in Islamabad when I was contacted by Ardmore Cricket Club. Obviously I knew little about the standard of Irish cricket but this was an opportunity that interested me and I decided to give it a go. I have to say from the outset that the people at Ardmore were absolutely fantastic to me and made me so welcome and my affinity with Ireland had begun. That year was a really wet summer however and I found it a real struggle on the damp, slow pitches. I went back to Pakistan at the end of that season but had already agreed a contract to return to the Bleachgreen the following year”.

He was to make the same journey for the next two summers as well but ahead of the 2001 campaign, Ifti decided we wanted to test himself at the higher level and signed on the dotted line for Limavady. Despite doing well in a personal capacity he only spent one term at the Hunter Grounds and 2002 saw him back at Ardmore in what was to be a pivotal season for them. A team that included Mark Gillespie and Charlie Elder secured promotion to the top flight with a 34-run play-off victory over Burndennett, with Hussain taking 4 for 24 to turn the game. Despite that success however it was a time of mixed emotion for the player himself as he then sacrificed a golden personal opportunity. “I had done very well in the Pakistani domestic season and was selected for the International “A” side to play in Kenya but I opted to return to Ireland to try to win promotion with my club”.

The Division 2 title secured, Ifti then became part of the fabric of North West cricket and it was little surprise when he met Sharon and decided to settle here. Their first child, Khainat, was born in 2004 and two years later the call came from Beechgrove and the player felt the time was right for a move. Having played three seasons in the top flight after his experiences in the second tier, Ifti reasoned that the difference in standard was immense.

“There is little comparison to be honest, the game is played at a completely different level and pace in Division 1 and it helps to bring out the best in players”. The experience obviously stood him in good stead and Hussain's quality was to be the linchpin for Brigade's resurgence in the past few seasons. The club had won the title in 2004 but had finished way down in seventh the following year and decided that Ifti was one of the players they wanted to help change their fortunes. It was no surprise that he had an immediate impact with the championship trophy then winging its way back to Beechgrove both in 2006 and again in '07. There have been plenty of highlights during his time there but the player himself believes that those around him have had a major role in his own development.

“As a cricketer you are never complete; there is always something else to learn and this year I found our professional, Ata-Ur-Rehman a great help. Ata has wonderful experience and has obviously played the game at the very top level and he has had a big influence on my season. I would honestly say that (Wajahatullah) Wasti is the best player I have played with since I came here and his ability to pace an innings was superb. Everyone likes to test themselves against the best and am happy that I have had the opportunity to play against most of the top Pakistan players back home. I would say that Decker Curry is the best Irish born player I have played against as his talent and focus make him so strong”.

Turning to this year's title success and Ifti had no doubt where the race was won and lost. “Our bowling was top quality and a strong attack was the difference this year. We were able to limit teams in terms of scoring and that allowed our batsmen to express themselves a bit more freely. The batsmen did their job too of course but our bowling was the backbone of the title win.”

Now with 3-year old twins to keep him occupied as well I asked him if he was disappointed that the call never came from the Irish selectors. “Of course” he said immediately “Every sportsman or woman's ambition is to represent their country and while I had an opportunity with Pakistan “A” in '02, I felt that I was in both the form and condition five or six years ago that I had something to offer the Irish team. I can't dwell on the fact that I wasn't offered a chance or why, but I can't say that I'm not disappointed either”. On hindsight it is difficult to argue with the stats and it does seem strange that the Brigade man never featured on the Ireland radar.

So what next for Iftikhar Hussain and does he see himself being involved in more successes on the Limavady Road? “I will go back to Pakistan for four or five weeks in March as I do every year and will play some domestic cricket there. Going back means that while I do miss being away, I am able to catch up with family and friends regularly and I also get the chance to play competitively again. That always sharpens me up for the beginning of the North West season and although nothing has been confirmed as yet, I hope to be back at Beechgrove for the end of April”. More silverware is obviously one of the things that drives the player on but having come so close this time around you get the feeling that another crack at the Bob Kerr Irish Senior Cup is top of his side's agenda at this stage.

In the main, Iftikhar Hussain is a deeply private person but he is without doubt one of the most respected figures in the game here. During Brigade's title celebrations he was content to take a back seat, but have no doubt that the unassuming manner does little to hide the fact that he has his sights set on more of the same in 2012.