Tons of runs

Nathan Jones

Cricket by KEVIN RICHARDSON

NATHAN Jones is scoring runs for fun.

In an incredible three days, the ace teenager recorded knocks of 100, 203 and 147.

Red-hot Nathan was playing for the Huddersfield League XI in the under-15s Taverners Yorkshire junior cricket festival.

The Saddleworth School pupil kicked off his amazing sequence against York at Thongsbridge Cricket Club near Holmfirth, before putting North Yorkshire to the sword with a double-hundred at Undercliffe CC (Bradford).

The third century was in the final against Doncaster at Copley CC (Halifax), where he helped his side to a daunting total of 360.

Doncaster were 70 for six in reply when rain stopped play. The match has been rescheduled for the week commencing Monday, August 25.

Nathan’s superb run of form didn’t end there as he scored 60 playing for his club, Delph, in a second-team fixture at Honley in the Drakes Huddersfield League.

He also chipped in with an unbeaten 37 in Lancashire under-15s’ defeat of Notts at Leigh CC.

“I think he must be seeing it (cricket ball) like a football,” said dad Grant of his son’s remarkable set of scores.

“He does work hard at his game. Even after scoring 200, he was in the nets that same night practising some more.

“He is obviously chuffed to bits and it was nice he got an email from his manager at Lancashire, Andy Kennedy, congratulating him.”

What makes the left-hander’s outstanding run of form even more striking is that he started his embryonic cricketing career as a bowler.

Grant, first-team XI skipper at Delph, explained: “Nathan’s batting has overtaken his bowling.

“It’s important that he kicks on now. He can’t play enough cricket at the moment and you can understand why.”

So will young Nathan (15), from Springhead, be getting into his dad’s ear about a call-up to Delph’s first XI? “Our top four are pretty-much settled and he is an opening batsman. He would have to come in at five or six,” replied Grant diplomatically.

Unbelievably, Nathan’s 203 is not a competition record. That is held by one of his Delph team-mates, Charlie Roebuck, who plundered 214 some years ago.