Cricket: Tiltle now big target for Scholes

Jul 11 2009 by David Lockwood, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

“We’ve been very lucky to get them because all three of them are different types of players, but they are all really good lads and have fitted in very well at the club.

“And then of course, we had another slice of good fortune when we picked up Australian Shane Mott, who has joined us from Hawkesbury, near Sydney.

“It’s always a bit of a shot in the dark when you get an overseas player, because you just don’t know what you’re getting until they arrive, but in Shane we have struck lucky again, because not only is he a good bowler who can swing it, but he’s also a bowler who can bat, as he showed when slammed 97 at Delph & Dobcross.

“Shane has come over with his girlfriend Elise, who is also fitting in well at the club, and they are living in Holmfirth. Once again, they are an absolutely super couple and such nice people to have involved..”

But if Scholes are getting good service from Shah Nawaz and Mott on the bowling front, the man who is leading the attack is their Holme Valley-raised stalwart Andy Alsop, who has three six-wicket hauls on his credit this season and, to press, has taken 41 victims in the League and Sykes Cup and is probably bowling as well now as at any stage of his career.

“Sloppy is our other major plus point this season because he is bowling superbly again,” said Noble. “For a couple of years he was struggling with injuries, but now he’s fully fit again he will bowl all day if you let him!

“Another exciting thing is we are also now getting some youth into the side, in the shape of Tom Brook, Jamie Clayton, Louis Sykes and Tom Love, although the latter is now in Thailand for three months after finishing his University studies.

“Because of the success of players we’ve already mentioned, opportunities have been limited for Tom (Brook), who is the captain of Huddersfield’s Joe Lumb Cup team and a medium quick bowler who really skids it through.

“Similarly with Louis (Sykes), who made a great first-team debut with 65 against Barkisland, and has been scoring a sackful of runs in the Seconds, and Jamie (Clayton). They are struggling for chances because of the success of others, but it’s great to get them into the first team which can only benefit them, and they are definitely players for the future.

“Five or six years ago, we had a lot of older players in the Seconds who had all sort of got older together, but now we have plenty more of our own young players coming through, like Tom Boorman who is the wicketkeeper/batsman, Louis (Sykes) and Joe Hinchliffe, who is now probably one of the older ones at 24!

“There is a lot of confidence in the club at the moment and there’s no doubt we are all enjoying it in the first team. In fact, if we are being honest, we are a little bit disappointed to be only 12 points in front after losing to Shepley last week.

“We know there’s a long way to go yet, but we’re all looking forward to the second half of the season, and we’re still in the Twenty/20 Trophy as well.”