Hokin the backbone to Clontarf's run

ON CRICKET:WHEN IT comes to horses for courses in the Lewis Hohn Williams Senior Cup, nobody has got within an ass's roar of Clontarf in the last decade. The men from Castle Avenue annexed a fifth title since the turn of the century in the most convincing style at Balrothery last Saturday, handing out a 185-run thrashing to a North County side not used to such reversals, especially on home turf.

It was Clontarf’s third straight title and 10th in total in a competition that suits them down to the ground. The 60-over a side nature of the cup may be a bygone of a past era, but it still has its considerable merits when it comes to cricketing skills.

It may sound faintly ridiculous, but there’s a lot more than an extra 60 deliveries from the regular diet of 50-over cricket Leinster clubs play. It’s a mindset ’Tarf have got the hang of better than any other side over the last decade and one that is likely to see them push on towards Phoenix’s record haul of 15 titles.

As for strength-in-depth, it is also worth mentioning that their second XI claimed back-to-back Senior II Cup titles on Sunday, when they were every bit as ruthless as the first team, beating The Hills by eight wickets at Castle Avenue.

All great sides need a catalyst, and the arrival of professional Rod Hokin from Sydney three years ago was a key factor in their recent Senior Cup domination.

Weaned on grade cricket, where each side has a day to bat, Hokin’s patient approach has dominated two of their three wins. In his first season with the club, in 2007, it was his knock of 116 not out against Merrion that started their present run, while his 126 not out in last Saturday’s decider was a study in concentration and the art of building an innings.

After receiving his second man-of-the-match award in three finals, the 30-year-old pointed out how much he enjoyed a chance to express his talents in a longer form of the game.

“I love this competition and to win it three times in a row is pretty big for the club. Obviously back home you’ve got 96 overs to bat so you can put your head down and play proper cricket for 30 or 40 overs and have a bit of a hit at the end,” remarked Hokin.

He certainly played the textbook knock in the knowledge that as long as he was there at the end of the innings Clontarf would have a defendable total. It also allowed skipper Joe Morrissey (40 off 26 balls) and Matthew D’Arcy (13 off six) to play the perfect cameos late in the day to push their total to 281 and inflict what proved a terminal wound on North County.

Morrissey is in no doubt Hokin’s application to his trade has rubbed off on not just the senior players at the club, but also the tons of kids who have benefited from his coaching at Castle Avenue.

“He would also face between 1,000 and 2,000 balls a week from the bowling machine and his game is very organised. He knows clearly in his own mind before he sets out what he wants to do,” said Morrissey, who is convinced they have the best professional in Leinster.

They certainly have the best when it comes to the Senior Cup, and although statistics can be overused in cricket nowadays, Hokin’s tally with both bat and ball are striking.

In 10 Senior Cup games over the last three years he has scored 612 runs at an average of 153. This year alone he amassed 317 runs in four innings, and was out only once, to give him the same average.

Those startling stats may somewhat overshadow his contribution as a leg-spin bowler, but his 25 wickets at a shade of just over 10 runs a victim have also been vital to their dominance.

Some horses may indeed like certain courses, but Hokin’s steady hand on the reins has backboned a run that shows no sign of letting up.