A “Celebration Day” will be held in Craven Arms next Friday to remember two cricket-loving teenagers who died in a car crash a few miles from their homes.
Naim Anwar,19, and Zeeshan Ahmad, 15, of Craven Arms were both killed in a three-vehicle crash on the A49 near The Grove at about 9.45pm on Monday night.
A third Craven Arms young man, was a passenger in the car, remains critical in hospital.
Mr Anwar was driving and was pronounced dead at the scene. Zeeshan was taken to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital by ambulance, where he died on Tuesday. No one in the other two vehicles was badly hurt.
At 14, Zeeshan was a Shropshire County youth player and played cricket for Ludlow’s second team.
Club chairman William Moore said: “He was admired by everybody and getting to be a confident young man. We are are shocked and devastated.”
Both were keen members of the Craven Arms Cricket Project set up by the police and the South Shropshire Youth Forum to help remedy the lack of youth -based facilities and to alleviate racial tension in the town.
“Both will be sadly missed. Zeeshan played ever chance he could but Naim had played less since he had a full-time job,” said PC Paul Sparrow project organiser.
“They were both great lads. Zeeshan was a very talented player who lived and breathed cricket. Both were part of the project and big supporters since the start. The whole Craven Arms community has come out to support the families.”
The Celebration Day is next Friday, August 15, at the Craven Arms playing fields. A cricket team from the project will play a team of local police, SSYF members, friends and parents.
Town council chairman Neville Stephens said: “ This is a tragic loss to the whole community. People here are shocked by the news.’
Mr Anwar’s white Peugeot 306 was heading into the town when it was involved in a collision near The Grove with a red Jeep Cherokee and a white Vauxhall Vivaro van travelling towards Shrewsbury. Police have appealed for witnesses to contact them on 08457 444888.
