"They taught us different types of cricketing skills"
Eighteen-year-old Umar Mahmood, who starred in Freddie Flintoff’s Field of Dreams, died in a horror car crash.
Umar was killed in Preston, Lancashire, his school confirmed.
The teenager was taken to hospital with serious injuries after an Audi A3 Sport left the carriageway and collided with trees on September 10, 2024.
He was in a critical condition before succumbing to his injuries on September 12.
Umar was a pupil at Penwortham Priory Academy before finishing his studies in 2022.
Another pupil at the school, 16-year-old Adam Bodi, also died in the car crash.
Umar appeared on the BBC One documentary Freddie Flintoff’s Field of Dreams in 2022 as the cricket legend was tasked with building a team from scratch with reluctant Year 11’s from his hometown of Preston.
It was aimed at teenagers from lower-income areas to challenge the notion that cricket is a game for wealthy, privately educated children.
In an interview about the show, Umar said he liked watching and playing cricket and was involved with his local youth team, which is where he was selected.
He said: “They said they wanted to do a documentary about cricket and give people like me an opportunity which I might not otherwise have.
“It was filmed every Tuesday at Preston College.
“We were trained by Andrew [Freddie] Flintoff, who is really down-to-earth, and Kyle Hogg as well.
“They taught us different types of cricketing skills and it has been really good. I would say now I am a bit of an all-rounder.
“The idea is for our team of teenagers to play against league teams made up of people around our own age.”
Penwortham Priory Academy said in a statement:
“We are again saddened as a school to hear the news that Umar Mahmood, who was in the same accident as Adam, and who left Priory 2 years ago, has also passed away on Thursday, 12 September.
“Umar was a bright, studious and well-loved member of our school community.”
“He had a passion for Geography as well as his cricket, playing for Priory’s school team and appearing in the BBC One documentary Freddie Flintoff’s Field of Dreams.
“It was a privilege for us here at Priory to know Umar.
“He was a young man who was always considerate to those around him and who showed ambition and kindness in all that he did.
“It is of course with great sadness that we hear this news.
“We give our sincere condolences to all of Umar’s family and friends on behalf of the school, at what will be a very difficult time.
“They too, are in our thoughts and prayers today.”
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