INTERVIEW: Teenager Matty Hurst targeting silverware in the One Day Cup
Development? Yes. Targeting silverware? Absolutely. Lancashire are hoping to find a happy medium with some young up and comers in this summer’s Metro Bank One-Day Cup.
There will be a number of counties who head into August shorn of a host of experienced players because of the Hundred knowing their chances of reaching the Trent Bridge final next month are next to nothing.
The Red Rose are definitely affected by Hundred absentees - six of them to be precise. But they firmly believe there is still enough firepower available to challenge for the county’s first piece of limited overs silverware since the 2015 Vitality Blast.
And they head into tomorrow’s floodlit clash with Leicestershire at Emirates Old Trafford tomorrow encouragingly placed second in the Group One table with four points - a win and two No Results - from three games.
Watch some of the young guns play and listen to them talk and you can see why confidence is high.
All-rounder Tom Aspinwall, for example, plays his cricket almost in overdrive and fellow former England Under 19 Matty Hurst with belief aplenty.
They are two players who have made their first-team debuts in the last fortnight having signed maiden rookie professional contracts at Emirates Old Trafford at the start of last winter.
“It’s not all on the older lads,” said wicketkeeper-batter Hurst when discussing Lancashire’s bid to better last September’s final defeat to Kent, who they comfortably beat at Blackpool yesterday (Wednesday).
“We’re definitely capable, myself, Tom and the others, of helping the more senior lads get through this group and go on and win this trophy. And if we can win this competition, it will be a great thing for everyone, not just myself and Tom who are starting out.”
Hurst is a 19-year-old from Billinge, a village sandwiched in between the Rugby League heartlands of Wigan and St Helens.
He is one of six wicketkeepers in Lancashire’s senior squad. Incidentally, that’s enough to make up a Rugby League forward line. George Bell, George Lavelle, Dane Vilas and England white ball duo Jos Buttler and Phil Salt are the others.
It means that if players like Hurst, who currently has the gloves in the ongoing One-Day Cup, and Bell want to increase their chances of first-team game time, they need to be versatile.
“It’s just adapting to the situations you get given,” continued Hurst, who hit 15 not out off six balls against Kent yesterday, including scooping his first ball for four.
“I can play as a batter, and I’m more than happy to do so. I’m also a good enough fielder to do that.
“I just want to get into the first team and make an impression. I’m happy to bat anywhere or do any role.
“I’d definitely say I’m more on the aggressive side than the defensive as a batter. I’m more of a deflector than a power-hitter.”
Having started his cricket journey at Newton-le-Willows, Hurst has played league cricket for the last three years at Liverpool Competition side Leigh, where former Red Rose County Championship and Blast winner Karl Brown is captain.
“I moved to play Premier Division cricket, and it’s made me a better player,” he continued.
Hurst looks like he plays his cricket with an old head on young shoulders.
Last April, he scored a second-team century - 101 - in a Championship win over Leicestershire. This summer, he has scored three fifties with a best of 96.
“It’s been good,” he added. “I’ve really enjoyed this summer.
“I wanted to try and get some performances in the second team early on to try and make a breakthrough later in the year.
“But I know that 90s aren’t good enough to break through in this team regularly. You need to be making big hundreds, 150s and 200s, in the second team to force your way in and stay in.”