Lancashire Cup final preview: Turner’s important runs key to Ormskirk’s success

Calum Turner on the attack for Ormskirk in the Ray Digman Trophy final

There are big runs, and there are important runs.

Two years ago, Calum Turner made big runs – 1,405 in all competitions, one of four men to top 1,000 in the league. 

That’s not to say they were straightforward, even though he played half his games at Formby’s Cricket Path, renowned as the Love Lane Liverpool Competition’s featheriest bed, especially for a left-hander who plays spin superbly.

If it were easy, more than four people would have done it.

But of the seven times the skipper passed 100 in that season, Formby won just once.

They eventually finished seventh. Were it not for the 80-point deductions given to Birkenhead Park and Newton-le-Willows, Turner’s side would have been safe by just 22 points.

After that record-breaking season for batters, Turner sought a new challenge, at Ormskirk.

A year later, he had no more centuries to his name – but he did have seven half-centuries, six of them in wins, and a league winner’s medal.

By his own admission, he found the move difficult at first. But this season has been different again.

There has still only been one century, in a National Club Championship trouncing of Clifton in May, but in 36 innings he has only posted seven single-figure scores and his eight 50s have yielded seven wins and a draw.

Most recently, Turner made 82 in the Ray Digman Trophy final, the only score of note as Ormskirk beat Rainford in a rain-affected clash.

And his runs at the top of the order are a crucial part of why Ormskirk are currently preparing for a Lancashire Cup final, and leading Northern by a head in the closest title race in years.

Important runs, in other words.

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“They’re runs for the team,” he insists. 

“I’m not looking at personal stuff, but it’s great to make a big contribution. 

“And I hope I can carry this on for the last four games of the season, because there’s a lot at stake.”

Turner’s cover drive was the signature shot of 2022’s Bat Summer, delivered with an authoritative crack that made spectators take notice and bowlers take cover.

If he’s had to shelve it at times since then, he accepts it’s made him a better all-round player.

He says: “Playing on some difficult pitches this year has made me kind of adapt my game a little bit, and that’s brought me some runs in the last few weeks. 

“Being relatively new to the Comp, I’ve learned a lot. 

“You can’t just get 220 and come off at Cricket Path, and you can play all the shots you like, but Brook Lane is more attuned to the seamers getting their rewards. They’re result wickets. 

“I think I’ve managed to adapt and develop, and I tether my expectations to the conditions of the day. 

“It’s something I found slightly more difficult last year, but over the last couple of months especially I’ve managed to get in and occupy some more time. 

“We know at home that if we bat 50 overs, we’ll be at a score which our bowlers can defend.”

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Ormskirk captain Gary Knight has often spoken about his disdain for vanity runs, and the need to produce performances that win games of cricket as well as plaudits.

After Sunday’s player-of-the-match display from Turner, the skipper said: “We spoke when he first signed about how his runs were affecting games and winning games. 

“While he scored a little bit heavier at Formby, they weren’t winning games. 

“Last year, he’ll admit himself that he got 20s and 30s and some starts, but he was frustrated with himself for not kicking on. 

“Now he’s turning those into 70s and 80s, which are match-winning performances. 

“He batted really well on a tough pitch on Sunday. For the first 10 overs it was quite flat, but then it started to break up. 

“Calum was really aggressive at first but started to bat within himself, and marshalled us to a really good score.”

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With one trophy in the cabinet, Ormskirk have two more in their sights. They return to Turner’s old stomping ground of Formby on Saturday, before heading to Blackpool to take on Prestwich in the county showpiece – a repeat of their National clash in June, which Ormskirk won by 103 runs. 

Then there’s a home game against relegation-threatened Birkenhead Park, followed by a mouthwatering showdown at double national finalists Northern.

Turner adds: “When I joined last year, these are the games I’d earmarked to play in.

“Playing in big games, in title races, is great. It’s what I moved for, having the opportunity to win things and playing in a team where everyone’s driven towards that same goal. 

“It shows the strength of us and Northern that we’re representing the league so well.

“We played Prestwich in the National this year and won, but a final is a different challenge – it’s a neutral ground and the game will be decided on who plays the conditions best. 

“I back us if we play close to full strength.”

from Merseyside Cricket Online https://ift.tt/LE5y9jO