Skipper Roy Smith praises batting efforts of wicketkeeper-batsman following another Division One triumph
Hornchurch captain Roy Smith felt Paul Murray’s century on Saturday against Harlow was a perfect example of the old adage form is temporary, class is permanent.
The wicketkeeper-batsman had scored 300 runs in 13 innings prior to competing in the clubs Essex League Division One clash at the weekend.
Smith revealed Murray wasn’t pleased with that effort and had been putting in the hard graft to ensure he added a significant score to his tally.
On Saturday he did just that by scoring 112 from 126 balls including 11 fours and one six to inspire Hornchurch to a 72-run triumph against Harlow.
“Paul did really well on Saturday. He has been working hard and has been disappointed that he hasn’t scored many runs this year,” said Smith.
“But he is a class player and form is temporary but class isn’t and he showed that on Saturday.
“He was one of the first people at the ground and was working on his game and it showed his practise paid off. It was a proper knock, he played himself in and increased the run rate as he went through.”
Hornchurch seemed like getting over 300 but had to settle for 293-6 from their 50 overs with Jamie Sorrell (41), Max Osborne (29) and Ronnie Saunders (26) batting well around Murray.
Harlow were always behind the rate in reply and Taqi Abbas (2-34) and Max Osborne (2-59) impressed before Nicky Baxter started to have some fun for the visitors.
He cracked 63 from 38 balls before Chamikara Mudalige showed his undoubted class by taking 3-15 from 3.3 overs to bowl the away side out for 221.
Smith added: “We lost our way a little bit after drinks when the slow bowlers come on. After Paul’s innings we only needed a few people to get 20’s and 30’s to get us up to a decent total and that is what happened.
“We were looking on course for 300 to 320 after rapid start but that is cricket, it doesn’t always go as you plan. We still managed to get up to 290 because of some big hits from Max.
“We got them three or four wickets down and then they had a fella who had a little bit of a whack where we had attacking fields. He rode his luck a little bit and got 60 or 70 odd but the result was never in doubt.”
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