UCCE ones to watch: Paul Borrington

Date released: 26 May 2009

One to watch: Paul Borrington With the University season underway, MCC profiles players from each of the six UCCEs (University Centres of Cricketing Excellence) who will be hoping to make a mark this summer. Next up: Loughborough's Paul Borrington.

Borrington may have been born over the border in Nottingham, but he’s a Derbyshire boy through and through and is following in his father Tony’s footsteps by playing at The County Ground.

Currently in his third year of a Sports Science with Management degree at Loughborough, Borrington made his first class debut in 2005 aged just 17 although he would rather forget the fact he left a straight one to be bowled for four.

Since then, Borrington has become a regular in the first team in the latter half of the summer - after his Loughborough year ends - and he was rewarded with a long term contract with Derbyshire until 2012 in April 2009.

‘Bozza’ promptly celebrated by scoring 105 against Hampshire - against an attack that included former Loughborough team-mate Tom Parsons - and in his three first class innings in 2009 averaged 58.

An opening batsman for Loughborough, Borrington believes the difference between first class and university cricket is the strength in depth of the bowling he faces:

"Each county has five or six good bowlers so there is no respite, whereas in cricket a level down, if you can see off the openers and another one or two you can usually feel ‘in’ and in control."

"With the likes of Wavell Hinds and Chris Rogers as team-mates you can’t help but be motivated to succeed and eager to learn from the guys at the top." he said.

Australia Test player Stuart Law is also at Derbyshire This year he’ll also be sharing a dressing room with Stuart Law - another fountain of knowledge on the game.

Borrington impressed Derbyshire with several stubborn half-centuries in 2008. As he comes to the end of his tutelage under Graham Dilley in 2009, he feels confident he can repay the faith shown in him by Loughborough and Derbyshire and cement his place at the top of the Derbyshire order by the end of this season.