CAPTAIN James Maurice-Scott says Royton must erase the disappointment of their defeat in the final of the Derek Kay Cup and refocus on their promotion bid in division 1A of the Greater Manchester Cricket League.
“The defeat is still a bit raw, but we have to get it out of our system and crack on in the league and get back on track,” he said.
Royton occupy the second promotion place, but they are only three points behind leaders Greenfield.
But with only eight separating the top four teams, it is hotting up for clubs who are pursuing promotion.
Maurice-Scott believes the cup run proved a distraction as in the build-up to the final they lost three league games in a row to Greenfield, Stayley and Astley and Tyldesley.
But the day before the final, they rediscovered their form with a 234-run win against Brooksbottom in the league.
Professional Chirag Khurana scored 199 in that game as Royton amassed 372 for five before bowling out their opponents for 138.
And in the final Khurana struck 132 not out as Royton made a modest 216. Ryan Carruthers was the next highest scorer with 21.
Greenmount made 220 for four in reply, Owen Feakes top scoring with 78 while Ryan Senior contributed 69.
Khurana, the Indian all-rounder, is enjoying a memorable third season at Royton in which he has scored 2,000 runs.
He has 1,270 runs in the league, 465 in the cup and 266 in the T20 making a total of 2,001.
Royton’s club record is just shy of 1,900 runs recorded by overseas amateur Dean Tuckwell.
Khurana, 25, has passed that total, but in Tuckwell’s era there was no T20 cricket.
He has 1,735 runs in league and cup, which is short of Tuckwell’s total.
Khurana and Maurice-Scott came close to breaking the club’s record opening-wicket stand in the cup semi-final win against Heywood.
They put on 242 runs which was 17 runs short of matching the record 259 set by Geoff Bispham and Aussie Jock Livingston in 1949.
Khurana, who made 129, was eclipsed by Maurice-Scott who hit 160.
