Surgery rules out return for Royton’s star pro
Reporter: KEITH McHUGH
Date published: 17 January 2014
ALL CHANGE: Chris Hutchinson (left) and Australian counterpart Ben Dunk won’t be gracing the Paddock this summer.
CRICKET:
ROYTON Cricket Club has been stunned by the news that crackerjack batsman Ben Dunk will not be returning to the Paddock this summer.
The Australian rising star, who did so much to help Royton gain promotion to the Lake Garage CLL’s Premier Division during his first season at the club in 2013, has been nursing a wrist injury which will require surgery that effectively rules him out of the 2014 English cricket season.
The club has instead found Zimbabwean Timycen Maruma, a 25-year-old batsman and part-time leg spinner. Royton have also snapped up an overseas amateur to succeed Aussie Chris Hutchinson.
Luke Stewart, a batsman who plays for the Tasmanian University Cricket Club and has been recommended to Royton by Dunk, will be coming to the Paddock in the spring.
The Dunk bombshell has left Royton stunned. Club chairman Tony Spence said: “Ben has been having injections to enable him to carry on playing for Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash in Australia.
“Tasmania also want him to carry on playing until the end of the season, but have instructed him to have an operation afterwards, which rules him out of coming here.
“Ben is a lovely lad who did so well for us last season, so this really is a big blow to us.
“We have had no option but to waive his contract - though he wants to return here in 2015.”
Dunk would have been a huge attraction for Royton supporters and followers of CLL cricket, in 2014.
Dunk’s absence has opened the way for the arrival of 25-year-old Maruma, who started his cricketing career in Zimbabwe as a leg spinner, but shifted emphasis to batting.
He opened the innings for Zimbabwe in his one and only Test against Bangladesh in April, last year, making 10 in both innings as Zimbabwe won by 335 runs. Maruma played for Lancaster CC in the Northern League in 2012.
New Royton overseas amateur Stewart represented Huntingdon side Ramsey in 2013, making 768 runs at an average of 40.42 — the best of any batsman at the club. He is currently playing Premier League Grade One cricket for the Tasmanian University.
