Jack Holley reaping rewards of working with former Merrivale import Sam Clarkson

The Merrivale talent turned to Tigers import Sam Clarkson last season in a bid to add variety to his arsenal.

Clarkson has since returned to England, but his legacy left a lasting mark.

Holley is feeling more comfortable at division one level after a season of advice and tutelage from the south Londoner.

"You get found out pretty quick," the 18-year-old said.

"Someone like me, a bowler, with not many variations finds it hard after a few games they know you're just a line and length bowler.

"You need to try to pick up slower balls, off cutters, that kind of things to mix things up to keep the batsman guessing."

Clarkson's left-arm action meant Holley had a strong role model.

"He picked up on it and said 'you're a bit predictable'. He's a left-armer as well and he worked with me and taught me some variations," Holley, an apprentice plumber, said.

"He tweaked a few things and it was easier having someone with a similar thought pattern go through it with me."

While Holley is one of Merrivale's youngest division one regulars, the Tigers' winning culture is not lost on him.

"There are high expectations - the older guys around the club come from winning teams, premiership teams, and want to see the club do well," he said.

"You want to put on a bit of a show for them."

But Holley was realistic about the Tigers' prospects. The Emmanuel College graduate said his side needed to secure results if it was to better last season's fifth-place finish.

"It's going to be tough from now on, because we haven't won a game," he said.

"We need to use the Twenty20s to catch up because all games are worth the six points now.

"If we don't make finals, we have a lot to work on. It won't be that bad - we're missing Sam from last year who was an opening bowler - so you need to fill the gaps.

"We need to take the opportunity to step up in the back half of the season to fill that spot."

Merrivale co-coach Jeremy Burgess said Holley had been "thrown around a little bit" last season but was settling into a familiar role.

"He'd bowl that fourth or fifth change and he didn't have a lot of structure," he said.

"You could sort of see it in his game a bit. He picked up a full-time job and was working away and he was a bit more fatigued.

"But he's worked hard and is a really good bowler. He's really underestimated.

"We've given him a spot that he'll be first or second change each week. He's coming on nicely and in the next couple of years he could be a dominant bowler."

Have you signed up to The Standard's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in the south-west.