Horton aims big for Tuskers

[zimfan1]

Horton aims big for Tuskers

By MEHLULI SIBANDA

MATABELELAND Tuskers’ latest foreign signing Paul Horton has set himself a daunting task of ending the season as the leading run scorer in the country in the Logan Cup cricket competition.


Horton is the second overseas player to join the Bulawayo-based franchise after wicketkeeper Adam Wheater.
In an interview during Tuskers’ training session at Queens Sports Club last Thursday, Horton revealed his ambitious plans for Tuskers. The 28-year-old right handed batsman Horton arrived in the country last Tuesday and has missed two Logan Cup matches and the same number in the Metropolitan Bank for Tuskers but that has not stopped him from setting himself higher goals for the season.
“My main aim is to be the leading run scorer in the whole country in first class cricket, I want to score about 800 runs. I didn’t have a good first class season in England and that is why I am in Zimbabwe,” said Horton.
In order to realise that ambition, he has to score heavily in the remaining matches as the leading run scorer so far in the Logan Cup, Steve Marillier of Southern Rocks has so far piled on 349 runs in six innings.
The leading run scorer for Tuskers is left handed opener Terrence Duffin who has 203 runs to his name from four innings with a best score of 193 runs against Southern Rocks.
Born in Sydney, Australia, of British parents, Horton plays for English county side Lancashire who are based in Manchester.
He said he came to Zimbabwe after being approached by Tuskers head coach David Houghton who was in England during the English season.
With Wheater having already shown his worth with the bat, scoring back-to-back half centuries in a winning cause for Tuskers, Horton is under pressure to perform.
He concedes that he is up for the challenge with the added responsibility of opening the batting.
Horton made his first class debut in 2003 and has been a first team regular for Lancashire since 2007 and captained the side in some of the matches last season.
Horton has been assigned to struggling Crescent Sports Club in the Bulawayo Metropolitan Cricket Association First League. Crescent are languishing at the bottom of the four team log with only one win and six losses from their seven outings. The coming in of Horton will certainly solve the opening partnership role for Tuskers.
Horton makes his debut in the Logan Cup match against Mashonaland Eagles at Harare Sports Club starting on Thursday.
Meanwhile, an exciting match is on at Queens Sports Club this morning when Queens clash with Bulawayo Athletic Club in a Bulawayo Metropolitan Cricket Association First League encounter.
At Emakhandeni Cricket Club, Emakhandeni look for their eighth consecutive victory when they take on bottom of the log Crescent.
Tuskers Squad for match against Eagles: Gavin Ewing (captain), Terrence Duffin, Paul Horton, Sean Williams, Keith Dabengwa, Charles Coventry, Adam Wheater (wicketkeeper), Keegan Meth, Tawanda Mupariwa, Njabulo Ncube, John Nyumbu, Christopher Mpofu.
Bulawayo Metropolitan Cricket Association First League fixtures: Today, Queens Sports Club v BAC (Queens), Emakhandeni v Crescent (Emakhandeni Cricket Club).

http://www.sundaynews.co.zw/inside.aspx ... 7349&cat=5

[Mike]

Thats a good researched article

Good luck Horton ! We really need him to perform next year