James Seymour’s incredible form continues with Premier Cricket century
Essendon star James Seymour has scored runs for fun in the past three seasons and notched his fourth ton of 2020-21 on Saturday but will his exploits be recognised by state selectors?
Local Sport
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Essendon run-machine James Seymour smashed through the 600-run barrier with his second century of the Premier Cricket season in Saturday’s 27-run win over Camberwell Magpies.
It’s the fourth year in a row the Bombers star has passed the mark thanks to two tons and five half-centuries in nine games and an average of 108.50.
Combined with a centuries for Randwick-Petersham in NSW Grade Cricket and a Premier Cricket XI, Seymour has piled up 991 runs in 15 innings at 99.10 this summer.
Despite missing three games due to a Big Bash League call-up – where he didn’t play a game – he sits second on the competition run-scorers charts.
Essendon skipper Michael Hill said Seymour exploits deserved higher recognition.
“James has been impressive up the top for us not just this year but three or four years in a row now,” he said.
“Ryder Medal last year, top one or two run scorer, averaging over a hundred, I’m not sure what more a guy needs to do to play higher. It’s a head scratcher.
“James is a very quietly spoken young man, very respectful, I think he understands the process and that’s where it’s my job and other people around the club to acknowledge what he does week in, week out.”
Seymour’s 113 not out came off 133 balls and included 10 boundaries and a pair of sixes as Essendon reached 6-250 after being sent in at Windy Hill.
The hard-hitting opener has shown an ability to mix his aggressive stroke play with patience this season.
“The last two weeks, for him to bat the way he did, when wickets were falling around him, just proves he’s got a number of strings to his bow,” Hill said.
“A few years ago he was quite aggressive but now he’s found a niche of how to bat for a long time and get big scores.”
With Camberwell threatening Seymour also picked up the critical wicket of 300-gamer Simon Hill (44) to cap off a fine all-round display.
Matt Doric was the best of Essendon’s bowlers, picking up 4-49 to take his season tally to 25 scalps – equal third in the competition.
“Matt’s one of the guys that just keeps getting better, he’s finding different dimensions to his bowling now,” Hill said.
“He’s not 140-plus like he might have been but he’s finding ways to get wickets, he’s moving the ball around, swinging the ball.”
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With games remaining the home-and-away season, Essendon sit ninth, just two points behind Dandenong in eighth and six behind fourth-placed Fitzroy-Doncaster in the battle for a place in the finals.
The Bombers have won four of their last five games and Hill is confident the club is starting to discover it’s best cricket.
“We’ve won five out of the last eight since Christmas, we haven’t played a perfect game yet but we’re putting some good games together,” he said.
Essendon will look to make it four wins on the trot when it travels to Ringwood on Saturday.
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