Cook gets tough after Thirsk defeat to Grange
THIRSK captain Mark Cook has had some harsh words for his players ahead of tomorrow's York Senior League Premier Division game against Studley Royal.
Cook watched his young team suffer a heavy defeat against Woodhouse Grange on Saturday, as they were skittled for 98.
Now he is calling on them to put in a big performance and climb out of the bottom four.
“We have a temperament problem,” he said.
“The players want to score the easy runs when it’s all going well, but when their backs are against the wall, they’re nowhere to be seen.
“They are only young and they will improve, but at the moment they are not performing consistently.
“We had a bit of a frank discussion on Saturday and hopefully the players will respond to that.”
Thirsk watched Grange amass 255-4 at the weekend, before being bowled out for less than a hundred.
“We have good days and bad days, and this was one of our bad days,” Cook said.
“It was a really good batting pitch and we didn’t think 255 was out of our reach.
“We were 40-0 off five overs, then we lost five wickets for two runs.
“If we want to stay in the Premier League, we will have to bat a hell of a lot better.”
Cook said his team had played too many big shots, without the patience or discipline to grind out a knock.
“If anything, I think the players have a little bit too much confidence,” he said.
“They need to get down to building an innings.”
The captain told the Ripon Gazette that his team are in a good position for the future, being built on three teenagers - Ryan McKendry, Ben England and Stuart Christon - but that all the players need to improve their consistency.
“It’s going to be a massive game on Saturday,” he said.
“Studley are a strong side and have made a good start to the season, but we have a full squad and we are determined to put in a better performance.”
SESSAY captain Stephen Langstaff is keen for his players to tighten up their batting ahead of tomorrow’s derby against Easingwold after they slumped to a second consecutive defeat.
Sessay lost to Dunnington by eight wickets on Saturday, just six days after being knocked out of the League Cup by the same side.
Langstaff said there was no cause for concern, but that his team needs to post bigger scores if it is to challenge for the Premier Division title.
“We didn’t play badly in either of the games, but we have been about 20 runs light each time,” he said.
“Our batting needs a bit of work.
“We just need need to get a few bigger scores and that’s something we are looking to improve on going into this week’s game, especially with it being a local derby.”
Mark Wilkie (30) and Chris Till (36no) top-scored on Saturday as Sessay posted 116-9 in a rain-interrupted match that was reduced to 29 overs per side, with their former overseas player Dave Johnson plundering 7 for 40.
Dunnington then knocked off the runs with eight wickets in hand, to end Sessay’s unbeaten league record.
“We knew it was going to be difficult to bat on that pitch and it was,” Langstaff said.
“Dave is a good bowler, a consistent performer and he bowled very well to the conditions, which were favourable for a seamer.
“It wasn’t a bad performance, but we came up a little short, perhaps because we weren’t quite at full strength.
“That is the weakest side we have put out for a long time.”
Nick Harris and Nick Thorne both return for the Easingwold game, having been away, but Sessay will be without Matthew Till for three weeks as he continues to nurse a broken thumb.
Langstaff says Till is “a big loss”, but that he is confident his team can regain their form and edge what he anticipates will be a tight game
STUDLEY ROYAL skipper Steve Walmsley took 5-83 and then hit 54 on Saturday, but his side still got the lesser of a high-scoring draw at Beverley.
Gary Blackburn (35) and Rob Mackie (45) offered support as the Royals, chasing 260-6, closed short of their target at 227-8.
In Division One, RIPON are adrift by 47 points after a heavy home defeat to Sheriff Hutton Bridge.
Ripon reached 178-8 as Tom Leeming top-scored with 39, but Bridge coasted toa six-wicket victory.
Ripon travel to Clifton Alliance 2nds tomorrow.
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Weather for Ripon
Thursday 09 February 2012
Today
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Temperature: -1 C to 1 C
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