CRICKET: Perkin praised for dedication (From Oxford Mail)

CRICKET: Perkin praised for dedication

4:27pm Thursday 2nd July 2009 in

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Serious Cricket Home Counties Premier League

Oxford captain Jason Harrison praised Jamie Perkin’s hard work in training after he hit his maiden ton for the club.

Harrison, whose side host Potters Bar in Division 1 on Saturday, feels Perkin can make a big impact.

Perkin and Graham Charlesworth put on a league record 238 for the sixth-wicket as Oxford almost chased down 290 to beat Slough last week.

“Graham Charlesworth is a fantastic player and we know the qualities that he brings,” said Harrison.

“With Jamie, he has worked his socks off in the nets since he joined the club.

“He has worked on hitting the ball a bit straighter and defending with the blade.

“He has fitted in well at this level as if he has played there for ten years.

“He knows it is just a start and we are hoping that over the coming years that he will go on to a higher level and play for the county.”

Charlesworth is absent on Saturday with his Oxford University side in the One-Day Varsity Match at Lord’s, while Nick Ferraby returns after being unavailable last week.

The league campaign reaches its halfway point after this week and Harrison is fairly happy with Oxford’s efforts.

“We are just making sure we are in a position to challenge in the last five or six games,” added Harrison.

Opening batsman Chris Smith and all-rounder Ashley Blanchard come into Banbury’s squad for their match at Tring Park.

Smith is expected to replace Ian Tew (unavailable) at the top of the order.

Banbury lost ground on leaders Henley last week after a thunderstorm forced the abandonment of their home game with Welwyn Garden City.

Skipper Ian Hawtin said: “We want to get back to winning ways as quickly as possible.”

All-rounder Dom Whatman replaces batsman Leigh Lewis as Aston Rowant visit Burnham in Division 2 West.

And after a thumping victory over Wokingham last week, captain Wesley Morrick feels his side are moving in the right direction.

He said: “We just need consistency with our batting and I think the guys are starting to get there.

“They are just a little bit young and inexperienced.

“As long as we are bowling out sides cheaply, it takes the pressure off.”

Sam Lachlan returns in place of Chris Jeffcock for Thame Town’s trip to Basingstoke & North Hants.

Skipper Rob Brooks is in positive mood after their draw with Gerrards Cross.

“The wicket was an absolute road,” he said.

“The only way we were going to win was to bat second.

“We just lost our way in the last ten overs in the heat.

“If we had had 60 overs, we would have scored well in excess of 300.

“It was nice that the younger batsmen got the runs.”

SATURDAY'S TEAMS

Oxford (v Potters Bar, home): Sandbach, Harrison (capt), Laudat, Ferraby, Perkin, Crosby, Smith, St Hole, Hutcheson, Vainker, R Evans.

Banbury (v Tring Park, away): from Shirazi, C Smith, Haupt, Si Hole, Shahbaz Ali, E Phillips, Bullick, Ryan, Hawtin (capt), Blanchard, E Smith, J Phillips.

Thame Town (v Basingstoke & North Hants, away): P Patel, Parmar, Beard, L Merry, Bhatti, Brooks (capt), Higgs, Barnett, S Patel, Lachlan, Murray.

Aston Rowant (v Burnham, away): Morgan, Miles, Jewell, Watling, Morrick (capt), Dutton, Lyon, Humphreys, Davis, Whatman, Penhale.