A tech entrepreneur has come to the rescue of one of the stars of Freddie Flintoff鈥檚 TV programme Field of Dreams.
Teenage Afghan refugee Adnan Miakhel shot to prominence on the hit show, which followed Flintoff鈥檚 attempts to build a cricket team for disadvantaged youngsters.
Miakhel arrived in the UK as a 15-year-old unable to read, write or speak a word of English but viewers saw he had talent for cricket.
Now aged 19, Miakhel, made his debut earlier his season for Lancashire’s 2nd XI but off-the-pitch he鈥檇 been struggling without a car of his own.
The youngster lives in Chorley with his foster parents Elaine Jefferson, 74, and Barry Brocklehurst, 84, and was largely having to rely on them to ferry him to matches and training sessions.
After learning of his struggles, businessman Dez Derry intervened by giving the youngster his long-term partner’s Volkswagen Golf, worth around 拢10,000.
Miakhell said: 鈥淚 can鈥檛 thank Dez enough. I鈥檓 so grateful. It鈥檚 made such a difference. I play around three matches a week and train twice.鈥�
The allrounder signed for Newton-le-Willows Cricket Club this season and regularly clocks up 300 miles a week.
鈥淚t wasn鈥檛 fair on Baz to be driving me around the country,鈥� explained Miakhel. 鈥淪ometimes I don鈥檛 leave the ground until 9pm and I couldn鈥檛 expect Baz to come and pick me up.鈥�
Derry was adopted by a white family in the 1990s and became a charity ambassador for Adoption Matters and Foster Care Matters because of his own experiences.
The founder of聽 Blume, a customer acquisition specialists for the legal sector. said: 鈥淚 met Adnan earlier this year and you only need to spend five minutes with him to feel his warmth, kindness, politeness, manners, drive and determination to play cricket for England.
Adnan Miakhel with Dez Derry
鈥淚 was really moved by Adnan鈥檚 foster parents Elaine and Barry, who instantly reminded me of my own white foster parents, who went on to adopt my brothers and I and are now in their 80s.
鈥淭hey changed our lives, just like Elaine and Barry are changing Adnan鈥檚 life.
鈥淎s his cricket career was taking off I became aware he needed a reliable car so when my partner decided to change her car I couldn鈥檛 think of a better new home for it than Adnan.鈥�
His foster mother Elaine Jefferson said: 鈥淚t鈥檚 such an amazing gesture by Dez. The car gives Adnan his independence.
鈥淗is cricket takes up most of his week but he also likes to go the mosque or to the gym.
鈥淎dnan does a lot of driving so needs a reliable car and we couldn鈥檛 afford it until Dez stepped in.
鈥淓ven though the car has a black box the insurance still costs more than 拢3,000 a year.”
Jefferson and Brocklehurst are approved foster parents with Lancashire County Council and saw their financial support reduced when Adnan turned 18.
鈥淎lthough Adnan plays a lot of cricket he doesn鈥檛 earn much money,鈥� said Jefferson. 鈥淭hanks to Derry he can now pursue his dream of becoming a professional cricketer.鈥�
Miakhel has recently finished Rossall School, in Fleetwood, and has put university aspirations on hold to pursue his dream of becoming a professional cricketer.
鈥淭he next 18 months are critical to my cricket career and that鈥檚 why having my own car is so important,鈥� he said.