Horton humble over England chances

as posted on TheBoltonNews

10:49pm Sunday 28th September 2008
By Graham Hardcastle »


Paul Horton may have helped Lancashire avoid relegation with their fifth win of the County Championship season on Saturday with yet another score above 50.

But the 26-year-old opener, who was born in Sydney, does not think his 58 against Somerset at Taunton will help him gain a call up to the England Performance Programme squad today.

Horton helped Lancashire put the finishing touches to LV Division One survival in the West Country on Saturday with his 113-ball innings, which included 11 fours.

It was the Liverpool-based star’s ninth score above 50 this season, and he finished with impressive stats of 966 runs at an average of 42 to back up last season’s haul of 1,034 runs at 49.2.

Horton has notched two centuries this term, and was being watched by the England selectors through the middle of the summer. Though a lack of a century since May, 30may have has cost him dear.

“I don’t think I'll be involved, so I’ll be heading off to Perth to work on my game,” he said.

“I’m going on Friday unless I get a call up on Monday. If I get a call that would be great, and I’ll change all my plans for the winter, but I’m planning as if I’m not involved.

“I’m going to Perth to play for, and captain, Gosnells for five months. I will be able do some training, and hopefully come back a better player.

“I’ve learned that consistency is key. You’ve got to keeping turning up day in day out, trying to impact on games, and win cricket matches for Lancashire. My job is to score runs, help us win games, and affect games with the way I play. That’s what I’ve tried to learn.”

Horton was helped along by Mark Chilton’s fluent 97 at Taunton, as Lancashire polished off the final 60 runs they needed for victory. The pair shared 151 for the opening stand, the highest of the summer.

Karl Brown chipped in with a typically aggressive 15 not out from 19 balls, including three boundaries. Lancashire captain Stuart Law clinched the win by hitting Charl Willloughby for two consecutive fours in the first over after lunch.

as posted on TheBoltonNews