The 25-year-old scored 121 from 125 deliveries on Saturday to help East Christchurch Shirley to a 152-run victory over Heathcote in the premiership one-day competition.
He followed the white ball ton up with an even more impressive red ball century on Monday in a three-day match for Canterbury A against Otago A. Batting at No 3, McClure scored 196 before being bowled by former Black Caps spinner Mark Craig.
Last year McClure was forced to retire hurt twice in the space of three weeks. In October, he was struck on the helmet after a bouncer from Black Caps bowler Neil Wagner. In his first match back after the concussion, he lasted just seven deliveries before suffering the same fate to former Black Caps paceman Mitchell McClenaghan.
The two blows to the head led to McClure suffering concussion symptoms and anxiety around being hit again.
“You go through the day and you just don’t feel yourself. Everything’s a bit slow and you’ve constantly got a headache. You just don’t feel right for a long time and you can’t really sleep,” said McClure.
“Then you get in the nets and you’ve got to face some nasty short stuff – it didn’t make for a great time.”
Following the incidents, McClure sought help from a sports psychologist to overcome the fear of being hit again and turn his focus to scoring runs.
“It took me a while to get over it, but I’ve done a lot of work with my mental skills and I feel in a good place,” he said.
“I believe I’m a good player of the short ball, I’ve just got hit in the head by two pretty good guys that bowl it well, being Neil and Mitch.
“[Scoring the two centuries] gives you that reassurance that you’re actually training the right things and doing the right things in the nets.”
McClure says getting his form back with the bat has been a case of ensuring his head is right on the field and off it.
The concussions came on the back of a 2017/18 season, which saw him stood down for much of the Canterbury campaign. In January 2018, he pleaded guilty to assaulting a man in Hanmer Springs on September 10 while on a pre-season trip with East Christchurch Shirley.
McClure admits a combination of personal issues, the concussions and his lack of form with the bat built up.
“If you’ve only got on the field going well and everything else is not going well, then eventually cricket’s going to take a U-turn and it’s going to be tough. You end up bringing cricket home and it doesn’t make life very enjoyable at all,” he said.
“With me, it’s probably been nailing my stuff off the field. My personal life, my diet, my sleeping patterns and just everyday life.
“This year I’ve really been trying to nail the basics around nutrition and sleep and making good training habits. I think that will lead to scoring more runs.”
In 2016, McClure burst on to the domestic scene as a 21-year-old with 193 not out to help Canterbury chase down 397 and record a five-wicket win over Otago in a four-day match.
Now he says his focus is on the future and re-cementing his place in the Canterbury team. With his return to form at club and Canterbury A level, it’s likely he won’t have to wait too long with positions in the playing 11 likely becoming available when Black Caps Tom Latham, Henry Nicholls, Todd Astle and Matt Henry are called up to the national side.
