HIS coach says he hits the ball like Matthew Hayden, but so good has Ben Parsons’ season for All Saints’ College been thus far his average is better than that of the former Test cricket opener.
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On Saturday as Parsons belted 105 for All Saints’ against Oakhill College in their Independent Sporting Association division two match, it added to what has been a dominant 2017/18 with the bat.
It was his second century, his other an unbeaten 137 in round two, while Parsons has gone beyond 50 on two other occasions.
“The big Ben is having a blinder of a season for us, he’s still averaging 98 and has scored 490 runs, he’s just been a colossus,” All Saints’ coach Phil Cant said.
“He hits the ball like Matt Hayden.”
But Parsons’ value to the team does not end when he puts down his bat.
He has also been impressive with the ball, the tall quick having taken 4-11 off 7.4 overs against Oakhill.
He has now claimed 13 wickets for the season at an average of 10.2 and boasts an economy rate of 2.3.
Add to that his qualities as an inspirational leader within in the team, and it is easy to see why Cant is happy to have him.
“He’s a really humble boy, but when he goes out to bat you can see other teams are intimidated,” Cant said.
“It’s a pretty young side so he’s pretty much seen as, well not a father figure, but a strong leader. He has such a strong presence that a lot of the young boys look up to him.”
Though Parsons has very much been the star, as All Saints’ continued its unbeaten run with a 44-run win over Oakhill at Watson Oval, other members of the side returned praise worthy performances too.
Openers Izaac Chirgwin and Tom Siede saw out the first 10 overs as their coach had requested, Ben Cant (14) and Hugh Parsons (20) then chipped while the lower order bastmen provided Ben Parsons with good support as their side reached 178.
In reply as All Saints’ bowled their rivals out for 134, Siede took 2-13 while Gareth Faulkner, Joseph Hodges, Hugh Parsons and Chirgwin all claimed a scalp as well.
“It is very much a team effort, it may not look like it, but it is. We have our plans that we look to execute and all the boys have done a great job,” Cant said.
“Ben, he had two good partnerships with two younger boys and I was so proud of those little fellas.
“That’s something we’ve spoken about, having those little fellas stay out there in the centre with Ben and give him the strike.
”We’ve won eight on the trot now, I am a bit worried about the target on the head, but we’ve had some close matches, they haven’t all been walkovers, so the boys seem to have a knack of winning hard games.”
