IT WAS a case of practise what you preach for Worcester Dominies captain Jon Hancock after breaking the 1,000-run milestone in 2014.

The 28-year-old right-hander, who works as development coach in schools for Worcestershire Cricket, enjoyed his finest season with the bat in totalling 1,027 runs at an average of 85.58 for the Worcestershire League Division Two side.

He made three centuries, featuring a top score of 168 not out, and five half-centuries, including efforts of 95 and 99, as Dominies finished fourth in the table, narrowly missing out on promotion.

Hancock, who took over from Matt Brace as skipper for the 2014 campaign, has also been named Worcester News player-of-the-year, for which he wins a bat from the Fearnley Cricket Shop, Sherriff Street.

He said: “I generally put a lot of pressure on myself anyway to score a lot of runs but I am very pleased to have hit that landmark.

“It wasn’t a target at all, I just go out and bat and keep things as simple as possible.

“I was very pleased with how things went.

“In my role I’ve tried to coach kids to keep things as simple as possible so it was about starting to listen to myself and start putting in place what I try to teach others.

“For me, it has really worked.”

Now in his sixth year with Dominies, Hancock works on Worcestershire Cricket’s Chance to Shine programme, helping to “develop interest in the game and putting cricket at the forefront of a lot of school kids’ mind and getting them playing the game”.

He continued: “It’s a game that I love and grew up in and this is my chance to help others get involved and enjoy the game that I do.

“I enjoy what I do, I’m very fortunate and it’s a privilege to be involved wholeheartedly in everything I’m doing at the moment.

“There’s a lot of stress and pressure throughout the week to try to get a team out and arrange everything for the match, I’m just relieved by the time Saturday comes round just to get out on the pitch and play.”

Dominies finished 100 points behind champions Burghill and Tillington but were only 24 adrift of runners-up Bewdley and eight shy of Oldswinford in third.

“Take nothing away from Bewdley and Burghill and Oldswinford, they played some fantastic cricket and we had some really good games against them,” the captain added. “To take it to the last game was a pretty good effort from the whole club.”