AFTER picking up an incredible five awards at the Spenser Wilson Halifax League's annual dinner and presentation evening at The Venue at Barkisland, Joshua Hutchinson has set his sights even higher in 2020.

The Thornton batsman won the Premier Division batting averages (with 74.07), the Ronald Wolfenden batting trophy for most runs (1037), a special award for reaching four figures for the season and two prizes from the Parish Cup final - the highest score (95) and man-of-the-match.

If all these statistics seem impossible to better, the burly Hutchinson has an explanation for why he thinks that he can.

He admitted: "I didn't dream of having a season like that before it started, but we had games that were rained off (against Oxenhope on August 10, and Sowerby Bridge on July 27), games that were rain-affected (like Copley on June 15) and I missed a game (against SBCI on May 18).

"I also started the season a bit rough form-wise before picking it up towards the end."

Hutchinson then revealed the secret of his prolific campaign, which included a mammoth 314 not out against Shelf Northowram Hedge Top (19 fours, 34 sixes) and 215 not out against Triangle in a Parish Cup quarter-final (10 fours, 25 sixes).

There were also league centuries against Illingworth (118) and Booth (111)

He said: "It doesn't happen very often that someone gets 1,000 runs (he was the only one to do so in 2019), but I have always played aggressively and I try to hit the ball in the V - unless it is short.

"I am a big lad and can hit it a long way straight - it is very simple and I try to play to my strengths.

"I will try and beat what I have done this year in 2020, but it will be difficult."