Promoted Hughes enjoys life at the top

JOEL HUGHES has all the ability to ensure his successful push up the order will not be a one-off – according to North Middlesex captain Tom Nicoll.

Hughes is primarily a bowler but, in an inspired move, Nicoll decided not to just promote the paceman but start him as an opener in the clash with Southgate on Saturday.

And in tricky conditions, Hughes contributed with a gutsy 30 – proving North Midd’s second highest runscorer of the day as they reached 204-9.

He promptly picked up the ball to scorch through Southgate to the tune of 5-16, as the visitors slumped to 55 all out and a defeat by a whopping 149 runs.

And Nicoll is confident Hughes can now establish himself as an genuine allrounder after a successful audition.

“Even in games we’ve lost, Joel’s been the stand-out player, and on Saturday he was class,” said Nicoll, whose sided ended a three-match losing streak in the competition.

“He just doesn’t give anything away, nothing’s free. He’s so consistent and he makes batsmen do funny things – that’s how he gets his wickets.

“Will he continue to open the batting? Yes, possibly.We haven’t really been doing too well in the top two.

“We’ve got a lot of middleorder batters but the top two, we’ve mixed it up a bit and they did well.

“Looking over the course of the afternoon that opening partnership was very important.

“At Joel’s old club in Yorkshire he used to bat at No.4 I think, so he was a proper allrounder, and then I don’t know what happened but he’s lost a lot of confidence.

“I’m just trying to get that back into him because he’s got good technique.”