Paul Horton

Paul James Horton (born 20 September 1982 in Sydney, Australia) is a retired former cricketer who played for Leicestershire County Cricket Club in England and Matabeleland Tuskers in Zimbabwe.

Paul Horton

Personal information
Full name	Paul James Horton
Born	20 September 1982 Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Nickname	Horts
Height	5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right-arm medium
Role	Batsman
Domestic team information
Years	Team
2003–2015	Lancashire (squad no. 20)
2010–2011	Matabeleland Tuskers
2016–2020	Leicestershire (squad no. 2)
Career statistics
Competition FC LA T20 Matches 218 121 82 Runs scored 12,309 2,953 1,477 Batting average 35.47 29.82 23.82 100s/50s 24/67 3/14 0/5 Top score 209 111* 71* Balls bowled 118 13 – Wickets 2 1 – Bowling average 40.00 8.00 – 5 wickets in innings 0 0 – 10 wickets in match 0 0 – Best bowling 2/6 1/7 – Catches/stumpings 201/1 50/– 32/–
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 30 September 2019

Early life

Born 20 September 1982 in Sydney, Australia, Horton was raised in the city before moving to Liverpool, England, (the native home of his parents) as a teenager. His first season of cricket in England was played at Winstanley Park, a team based in Billinge, Wigan, with which he impressed and got noticed by Lancashire. The following season he played his club cricket at Sefton Park CC in Liverpool, as this league was of a higher standard. He then joined the Lancashire youth set up and captained the U17 and U19 teams.[1]

Cricket career

Lancashire

Horton joined the Lancashire first team squad in 2003.[2] He came close to scoring his maiden first-class century in July 2005 when he scored 99 batting at number four against Essex in a drawn match; he was dismissed by Grant Flower two overs before the end of the day.[3] After failing to cement a place in the Lancashire team Horton spent the winter of 2006/07 playing grade cricket in Australia to improve his batting. He spent the season playing for Ginninderra Cricket Club in Canberra.[4] He also represented the Canberra Comets in the second tier Cricket Australia Cup which is a state second XI competition one level below first-class status.[5] After several seasons of impressing in second XI cricket, Horton finally broke through and established himself in the first team.

In May 2007 Horton hit his maiden century for Lancashire with 139 in a County Championship match against Worcestershire; his effort came on the final day of a drawn match and he spent 12 overs marooned in the 90s.[6] A few weeks later in August, Horton bettered that with a 149 against their great rivals Yorkshire; this came in a partnership of 258 with Stuart Law for Lancashire's highest partnership for any wicket in first-class cricket against Yorkshire, beating the previous record of 247 set by Graham Lloyd and Ian Austin in 1997.[7] Also in August the same year, Horton set another career best of 152 against Hampshire in a drawn match.[8][9] A successful 2007 season for Horton was recognised by the club when he received his Lancashire Cap and was named Lancashire Player of the Year at the end of the season.[10] He finished the season with 1,034 championship runs at an average of 49.23.[11] As a result of his on field exploits, Horton was named the BBC North West Sports Awards Newcomer for 2007.[12]

In May 2008, Horton scored 108 against a Durham bowling attack including Steve Harmison, who had been dropped from the England side, before being run out. His century was part of a Lancashire victory by 232 runs as James Anderson and Andrew Flintoff shared 16 wickets in the match.[13] Horton scored his sixth first-class century, and his second against Yorkshire, in May 2008. He scored 152, equalling his best score, and shared a partnership of 258 with Mohammad Yousuf who went on to score 205* as the match was drawn, equalling Lancashire's record for any partnership against Yorkshire.[14][15] In July 2008, Lancashire captain Stuart Law expressed the view that Horton was playing well enough to play for England but that his batting could still improve After a series of good performances in the Lancashire's first-class side, Horton stated that he wanted to play more one day cricket.[16] On 25 August 2008, Horton scored his maiden list A half-century. Batting at number three, he top scored for Lancashire with 56 from 75 balls against Sussex.[17]

Over the 2008/09 winter season, Horton played club cricket in Australia; he captained Gosnells cricket team in Western Australia. In March, Horton was part of the Lancashire squad which toured the United Arab Emirates and took part in the Pro ARCH Trophy. He scored a century against Sussex,[18] and finished as the third-highest run-scorer of the tournament.[19] Horton began the 2009 English season by scoring a century in Lancashire's opening first-class match. Opening the batting against Durham University, he scored 105 runs from 182 balls before being stumped.[20] On 26 April 2009, Horton scored his maiden list A century after missing the first one-day game of the season through injury; opening the batting with Tom Smith, he scored 100 off 108 balls as Lancashire won by 6 wickets.[21] Despite registering several low scores in the opening matches of Lancashire's county championship campaign, Horton' one-day form was good and he scored his second listA century on 4 May. Becoming only the fourth Lancashire player to score centuries in successive one-day matches, Horton scored 111 not out from 144 balls as Lancashire beat Derbyshire by 8 wickets.[22]

Matabeleland Tuskers (2010–11)

In late 2010, Horton was signed by Zimbabwean side Matabeleland Tuskers. He described his role in the squad as "... to get runs in all forms of the game and also bring an approach and a dedication to the game that rubs off on the rest of the squad. To have that added responsibility on my shoulders can only make me a better person and a better cricketer in the forthcoming season for Lancashire."[23] In a match against the Mountaineers in November, Horton scored his first T20 half-century, beating his previous best of 44.[24] He set another personal best two months later in a match against Southern Rocks; Horton scored his maiden first-class double-century. The innings of 209 beat his previous highest score of 173.[25]

Leicestershire

In September 2015, it was announced that Horton had signed a three-year deal with Leicestershire.[26]

He retired from the game in October 2020.[27]

References

1. Paul James Horton, Lancashire County Cricket Club, archived from the original on 28 September 2006 Retrieved on 28 September 2008.
2. Wisden Cricinfo staff (29 September 2004), Lancashire release Schofield and Haynes in reshuffle, Cricinfo, retrieved 28 September 2007
3. Loye bats Lancs towards stalemate, BBC Online, 23 July 2005, retrieved 6 June 2008
4. Chris Ostick (5 May 2007), "Big-hit Horton fears axe", Manchester Evening News, retrieved 25 August 2008
5. Sam Worthington (20 September 2006), "Comets appeal to shooting star from English county", The Canberra Times, archived from the original on 5 September 2008, retrieved 25 August 2008
6. Cricinfo staff (18 May 2007), Nicholson gives Surrey winning chance, Cricinfo, retrieved 6 June 2008
7. John Ward, Law and Horton flay Yorkshire, Cricinfo, retrieved 6 June 2008
8. Cricinfo staff (23 August 2007), Horton ton boosts Lancashire, Cricinfo, retrieved 6 June 2008
9. Cricinfo staff (24 August 2007), Warne could miss rest of season, Cricinfo, retrieved 6 June 2008
10. Andrew McGlashan (18 April 2008), Follow-on looms for Lancashire, Cricinfo, retrieved 6 June 2008
11. Horton named Player of the Year, Lancashire County Cricket Club, 27 September 2007, archived from the original on 11 October 2007, retrieved 27 December 2008
12. Horton named best Newcomer, Lancashire County Cricket Club, 27 November 2007, archived from the original on 17 May 2011, retrieved 30 November 2007
13. John Ward (8 May 2008), Flintoff's run struggle continues, Cricinfo, retrieved 6 June 2008
14. John Ward (31 May 2008), Horton and Yousuf take control, Cricinfo, retrieved 6 June 2008
15. John Ward (2 June 2008), Yousuf double-century confirms draw, Cricinfo, retrieved 6 June 2008
16. Stuart Law (29 July 2008), "Stuart Law column", Manchester Evening News, retrieved 25 August 2008
17. a19127 Sussex v Lancashire: NatWest Pro40 League 2008 (Division 1), CricketArchive.com, 25 August 2008, retrieved 12 November 2008
18. Mark Pennell (19 March 2009), Horton powers Lancashire to facile win, Cricinfo.com, retrieved 21 March 2009
19. Most runs: Pro ARCH Trophy, 2008/09, Cricinfo.com, retrieved 21 March 2009
20. f51313 Durham University Centre of Cricketing Excellence v Lancashire: University Centres of Cricketing Excellence 2009, CricketArchive.com, 13 April 2009, retrieved 15 April 2009
21. Horton ton helps Lancs to victory, BBC Online, 26 April 2009, retrieved 26 April 2009
22. Lancs ease to third straight win, BBC Online, 4 May 2009, retrieved 4 May 2009
23. Paul Horton's winter in Zimbabwe, BBC Sport, 16 November 2010, retrieved 17 November 2010
24. tt2012 Mountaineers v Matabeleland Tuskers: Stanbic Bank Twenty20 2010/11, CricketArchive.com, retrieved 15 February 2011
25. f52893 Southern Rocks v Matabeleland Tuskers: Castle Logan Cup 2010/11, CricketArchive.com, retrieved 15 February 2011
26. "BBC Sport - Paul Horton: Leicestershire sign Lancashire opener". BBC Sport. Retrieved 6 October 2015.
27. https://www.thecricketer.com/Topics/news/former_leicestershire_lancashire_captain_paul_horton_retirement.html

External links

• Paul Horton at ESPNcricinfo