Captain throws down the gauntlet
Reporter: Local sport: cricket by KEVIN RICHARDSON
Date published: 04 June 2009
SHAW captain Rick Harrington is calling on professional Warrick Fynn to start piling up the runs.
The South African paid man arrived at Holebottom Clough predominantly as a batsman, but so far this season it is his bowling that has caught the eye.
The 24-year-old, who spent the last two years at Oswestry, has scored 150 runs in seven games but has claimed 19 wickets.
Now his skipper wants the left-hander from Durban to make his mark with the bat.
Harrington, who, at 23 is one of the youngest captains in the league, said: “Warrick needs to start grafting — and I’ve told him that.
“He gets to 20-odd like a train, but then gets out. He probably hasn’t had the best of luck, but sometimes you have to make your own luck.
“The pitches are still a bit slow and probably not what he’s used to, but that shouldn’t be an excuse.
“He’s got to to battle for his runs. Bruce Cruse, who was the pro here when Shaw won the title in 1997, batted the full 45 overs for 100 and that’s what Warrick must do.
“If he reaches three figures and the rest can add up to 80 or 90 then we’ve got a competitive score on the board.”
Harrington is pleased at the way Shaw have turned things round after a slow start to the season.
They lost their first three matches, but a hat-trick of wins has lifted them into mid-table, although the run was broken by a heavy defeat at Saddleworth in the Tanner Cup.
The second of those wins, against Greenfield, featured an unbeaten 106 from new overseas amateur Nick Van den Bergh.
“Nick has done really well since he’s been here and I expect him to get between 800 and 900 runs,” said Harrington.
“He is a wicketkeeper, but Steve Whiston has done that job so far.
“Steve has a slight shoulder injury, so we’ve put him behind the stumps and he’s done a fantastic job.”
Harrington, in his first full season at the helm, is happy at the way his bowlers are performing.
He said: “We’ve got our act together with the ball.
“Warrick is spinning the ball a long way and will make batsmen struggle anywhere.
“Kamran Mukthair and Richard Doherty, who open the bowling, are also doing well, while I took my first five-wicket haul for Shaw a couple of weeks ago.”
