Parr puts skates on again as Thornton salvage trophy from tough season


Parr puts skates on again as Thornton salvage trophy from tough season

Two months after hitting a six and a four to help Thornton past Woodhouses in the last 16 of the National Village Cup, his boundary shots helped them win the ENCO Halifax League's Vocation Brewery T20 Trophy final against Upper Hopton at Mytholmroyd.

Parr came to the crease after Thornton had slipped to 74-6 in the 14th over chasing Upper Hopton's 147-9, which had seen Grant Soames, Greg Soames and Dom Anderson take two wickets apiece.

Taking a few balls to size up the wicket and the bowlers, Parr then hit two fours and five of the cleanest sixes you will see to win it for Thornton off the second ball of the last over, finishing with 45 not out from 18 deliveries.

Brad Weatherhead (26) had given the innings a much-needed fillip before Parr came to the wicket and ran riot, as Thornton stole the match from their Mirfield-based opponents.

Parr, unsurprisingly named as man of the match, said: "We thought that 150 was reasonable and, although Upper Hopton always give us a good game, we fancied our chances.

"The wicket was doing a bit when I bowled, and we didn't get a great start with that short boundary, and then the Upper Hopton spinners moved a few, but the wicket played well.

"Josh Hutchinson (bad back) was a huge miss for us, but you always know what you are going to get with Brad, and he is capable of anything with big innings in the Parish Cup over the years.

"Richie (Wear), Grant and myself have had a chat about my role within the club and I thought I'd just chance my arm against Upper Hopton and play my own game.

"I had scored 12 from about 12 balls, and after that luckily it came off."

A delighted Ross Parr picks up his man-of-the-match award on Sunday, his innings winning the game for Thornton. (Image: Thornton CC)

Parr added: "We just know how to win but we have aged this season with all of the Sundays in the Village Cup, and that has taken its toll.

"Ritchie Wear looked before he came out and he has played 50 games this season, which is tough going for amateur cricketers.

"We all come from different villages, but we are the best of friends.

"We are a close-knit group, a strong group of lads, we support each other on and off the pitch and we will come back stronger next year.

"Richie Wear will captain us next season and bring a Bradford League mentality to it.

"We might not now bowl five, six overs in a spell. It might be two or three, even if you have taken two wickets.

"This will probably benefit my game and I want to be fitter next year because I just love being with the lads on a Saturday afternoon."

Despite the camaraderie at Thornton, the reigning league champions are obsessed with winning everything, so this has been a disappointing season by their standards.

Parr said: "The Stayley defeat hurt us (in the Village Cup quarter-final), and they were different gravy.

"We dropped a couple of catches and we were probably about 30 runs short with the batting.

"We wanted to get to Lord's, but we will take it seriously again next year and we hope to win two or three trophies again over the next couple of years.

"The intensity has not been there in the league this season for whatever reason.

"When teams are nice to us we tend to roll over, which makes it difficult, whereas Booth, who were deserved winners of the league, and Upper Hopton bring that intensity."

Laughing, Parr ended his interview with the killer line: "Unfortunately I said to my wife that the win at Woodhouses, hitting that six, was the best feeling that I have ever had."

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