Assupol Tuks's under-11 cricket team has been dominant in the Northerns club league which led to them being crowned champions for the last two seasons.
It often said there is no "I" when spelling team, but sometimes statistics tend to tell its own story. Daniel Murray has been brilliant with the bat. He seems to have a knack for getting bowlers to doubt their abilities. In 14 games he has amassed 823 runs (99 fours and 37 sixes) for a batting average of 58.78.
His batting prowess did not just happen. Murray was only a few days old when his dad, Isak, gave him a ball as a present. Somehow that first-ever touch of the ball on hand kindled a passion for sports.
Possibly the real decider was when Murray got his first book on cricket. It was an illustrated coaching manual. It might have been one of the first books he ever read on his own.
His dad remembers seeing his son in front of a mirror, earnestly honing his batting skills. When he was not sure whether or not he was doing something right, he would consult the book. Soon the hours and hours of mirror training started to pay dividends. He is, for example, able to play the reverse sweep.
Murray has already earned his national colours in indoor cricket and played provincially for Gauteng North. In one of the games for Assupol Tuks, he scored 141 runs. He considers the 85 runs he scored for Laerskool Monumentpark as another highlight.
Apart from his passion for scoring runs, he loves the challenge of being a wicketkeeper. Murray has good reason for doing so.
"There is no shortage of good bowlers in cricket, but very few players can keep that is I decided to don the gloves." the Assupol Tuks cricket explained.
His approach to batting is simple. It is all about never letting his guard down when facing up to a bowler. Murray is fully aware that it takes only one moment of lapsed concentration to lose your wicket.
For Assupol Tuks he bats at number three. It is a position that comes with a lot of responsibility, especially if one of the openers loses their wicket early on. Murray prides himself to be able to adapt to whatever is happening on the pitch.
"If needed, I can hold up an end. Then again if it is required, I will go for the big shots."
Needless to say that at first, AB de Villiers used to be his role model. It is now Quinton de Kock.
Apart from the ability to score winning runs, Murray has something else in common with his hero De Kock. They both favour Gun & Moore bats.
The youngster is also playing provincial hockey. He did not plan to do so. It all started when his sister was looking for a training partner. As always keen to learn a new sporting skill, Murray decided to help out. Before long, he took a liking to the dribbling of the ball with a stick and the fancy footwork which hockey requires. So he decided to go for trials. The rest is history.
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