AFTER getting starts in all but one innings this season, Netherfield CC run-machine Ben Barrow is now looking to take full advantage of the Parkside Road batting strip.

Barrow followed up his 42 against Lancaster with 30 in the losing draw at Penrith’s Tynefield Park, with the 22-year-old averaging 26.75 from his four knocks.

With Netherfield facing back-to-back fixtures against Morecambe and Lancashire Colts this weekend, the opener is relishing the chance to make hay on a notoriously good wicket.

And Barrow – who also claimed five victims while deputising for wicketkeeper John Huck against Lancaster – is keen to realise the batting mantra of his captain Marc Brown.

“The weekend wasn’t too bad from a personal point of view I suppose but it would be nice to make some bigger contributions and be involved in larger partnerships,” he said.

“As a side we always talk about scores in the thirties not really winning games. It’s something Marc is really big on and we’re all looking to work on it.

“As batters we need to do our individual jobs and take the innings on, as opposed to getting out when well set and forcing someone else to get in

“But hopefully we can build on Saturday’s game and bat well, especially at Parkside Road where the pitch tends to be an absolute belter.

“In terms of the wicket-keeping, Sammy (Saliya Saman), Mark (Clarkson) and Nathan (Chambers) all bowled well. They were beating the edge all day with little nicks the result.”

On the performance against Lancaster, Barrow was relieved to see Netherfield perform in both the batting and bowling departments for the first time this season.

And while the result remained in the balance when bad light halted proceedings at Penrith, he accepts securing a further 12 points may have proved a difficult proposition.

“It was really good to get the win against Lancaster and play the complete game,” he added.

“We’ve bowled well this year but haven’t always hit our straps with the bat so it was pleasing to produce that level of performance over both innings.

“We bowled fairly well at Penrith but our fielding let us down in the last ten overs where we dropped three or four catches, which probably cost 30 runs.

“We still had Sammy there when bad light came into play so there was still a chance of winning but perhaps it would have been a tough ask.”