Omer Farooq could easily be stuck in Pakistan.
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The 24-year-old had his bags packed for Australia before the global coronavirus pandemic struck.
However, his was one of the last international flights to arrive in March ahead of bans, restrictions and quarantines being introduced for travellers as a way of trying to combat the spread of COVID-19.
"I was a bit lucky," Farooq said.
"I came here just before coronavirus."
A fortnight the other way and Farooq may never have landed or started his University studies or signed up to play cricket with Wallsend.
Seven months on and he now plans "to live here for the rest of my life".
Farooq grew up in a village near Shakargarh, located in the north-east of the country on the Indian border between Islamabad and Lahore.
Childhood memories of cricket involved meeting at a school "every afternoon and playing Test matches there" with English veteran James Anderson and Pakistan international Mohammad Asif his idols.
It was these impromptu sessions where Farooq, the youngest of two brothers, developed his "skills as a swing bowler".
He went on to play for Imperial Cricket Club and the University of Sargodha.
Having originally been bound elsewhere in Australia, Farooq ended up in Newcastle.
It came about after his course, English teaching as a second language, at the University of Wollongong went online so he moved in with a friend from home at Wallsend and joined the nearby Tigers.
Farooq made contact with club captain Nathan Price via social media, attended training and feels like he has "settled in well".
Price reckons Farooq "bowls a pretty heavy ball and is very accurate".
The right-arm paceman made his debut for Wallsend in round one, playing second grade against Hamilton-Wickham at Robert Holland Oval.
Farooq was promoted to firsts on Saturday and lined up for the Tigers against City at Learmonth Park.
He is yet to take a wicket, with figures of 0-35 and 0-20 from a combined 14 overs, but had "two catches dropped" and "hopes to get one soon".
Farooq batted at No.10 but was dismissed for a duck as he tried to help Wallsend reel in City's 5-218, falling six runs short.
"I believe in playing for the team rather than myself," he said.
Wallsend, last season's minor premiers, sit equal fifth on the ladder alongside five other sides and travel to Waratah Oval this Saturday before hosting Belmont and University in back-to-back Tom Locker Cup fixtures.
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