Taupō cricketer’s 1000 run season

Archie Harrison on his way to clocking up 1000 runs this season.

While he admits to not being too much into statistics, Generation Homes Lake Taupō Cricket Club (LTCC) batsman Archie Harrison managed to rack up plenty of runs for the club’s premier team this season.

By Chris Marshall

 Harrison hit more than 1000 runs in the three Bay of Plenty competitions the side plays in – a feat apparently not recorded for two or three years when a Greerton player just snuck over the mark.

The modest 21-year-old Harrison achieved the milestone just before the playoffs in the Venture Development Williams Cup (a 50 over competition) though the side finished down the ladder in the 10-team competition. His 488 runs came at an average of 97.60.

His efforts in the Jensen Steel T20 Championship, 243 runs, averaging 34.71, however did help the team into a semi-final – though they went down to Element IMF Cadets 1st XI – and his 270 runs at an average of 33.75, helped the LTCC side finish third in the Venture Developments Bay Cup (declaration games with 100 overs available in one day’s play).

Harrison, one half of the club’s English import players, along with bowler Matthew Madeley, said being an opener allowed him plenty of time to play himself in, though he had to alter his batting style to fit the different competitions.
“You try to afford yourself the opportunity, give yourself a bit of a chance and go from there really.”

The team was pleased with its efforts in the T20 competition and third placing in the longer format Bay Cup, he said.
He and Madeley had both had good years, Harrison said, and enjoyed mixing weekend play with coaching juniors during the week as well as some work for LTCC original Blaine Inch’s Eventrent.
Harrison will return to minor county cricket for the English summer and end his “dodging English winters” to play for Hertfordshire.
“And hopefully play some trial cricket… but Hertfordshire stuff I really enjoy, it's a good standard.”

If he can recreate his recent form here, his second summer in Taupō will have been worth it.

“It keeps me ticking over, and I’ve definitely enjoyed helping out (with the juniors) as best I can.”