Wednesday, May 6th, 2015

Mason Hails Work Ethic Of Morris As Run-Up Changes Pay Dividends

Mason Hails Work Ethic Of Morris As Run-Up Changes Pay Dividends

Bowling coach Matt Mason revealed that Worcestershire bowling hero Charlie Morris reaped the benefits of working on changes to his run-up ahead of his career-best performance in the win over Somerset.

Morris returned match figures of 9-109 in the innings and 62 triumph in the LV = County Championship at New Road inside two and a half days.

It was a reward for the work he did in the county's nets with Mason during the week after the narrow defeat against Sussex at Hove.

But that determination to right any wrongs is no surprise to Mason who says Morris will work to the "nth degree" to correct any faults.

Mason, who is also the county's assistant coach, said: "The last week between Sussex and this game, Charlie has worked quite hard in the nets with me.

"We've made a couple of little changes to his run-up to help him and he has taken them into this game.

"But take nothing away from Charlie's work ethic. If he thinks there is something not quite right, he will work to the nth (utmost) degree to put it right and he has been rewarded again for some fantastic, disciplined fast bowling.

"Basically he was just getting in a little bit too close to the stumps which meant his arms don't work in the way they should, the direction of them which affects his release point.

"So we've worked just a little bit on his approach and that seems to have really done the trick.

"He knows there is still room to improve which is exciting because, if he can not be where he wants to be and still performs like that, it is really exciting what he can achieve – and we think that of him anyway."

Mason believes Morris has a maturity in his approach to bowling which belies his 22 years.

He said: "It is relentless discipline but he does it at a livelier pace to Richo (Alan Richardson) and similar to Kabby (Kabir Ali).

"He never gets bored and I think that is important as a bowler. He just keeps coming and coming and he responds very well if he gets hit for four.

"You won't see Charlie moping about. He marches straight back to his run-up and he is on with the next ball and for a man of his age, he is only 22, he shows much more maturity than that."

Morris did the damage against Somerset in two opening spells of 11 overs apiece which brought him four and three wickets respectively.

Mason said: "You don't always want to do that with Charlie (bowl 11 overs) but sometimes, in a three man pace attack predominatly, that may happen.

"With Rosco (Ross Whiteley) coming in as the fourth seamer, that might change but I think this was the game situation where it required him to do that and he is fit enough to do it and while it is going well, you don't want to take the ball off him.

"In the first innings, he kept taking wickets right up to his 10th over so once you get on a roll, it doesn't feel that hard. You don't want to let the ball go because you sniff a wicket."