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Secretary: Shelia Kent
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Treasurer: Mrs Linda Fisher
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Telephone: 07989 844171
Email: [email protected]
Membership Secretary: Dianne Ward
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Newsletter Editor: Bill Horsley
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Email: [email protected]
Committee Members | Sheila Kent, Jim Finney, Michael Wells and Ian Bonner.
Click here to view the Minutes from the AGM held at The County Ground on 29th March 2018.
Supporters Club Lunches | These take place monthly throughout the off season at NCCC and offer the chance to catch up with fellow members as well as listening to guest speakers, including Playing Staff, Coaches and Groundstaff.
Tickets cost £13.50 and being a member of the supporters club is not required to attend.
Please get in touch with Linda Fisher on 07989 844171 to book your place.
Membership | £5 for the year
To join, please visit the signal box on any match day, or contact Linda for more information.
Members receive a free copy of the West Stand Story every other month. A tombola and raffle is drawn at the end of every season with the opportunity to win exciting Northants memorabilia.
Coaches are also offered out to members if travelling to away fixtures.
ISSUE NUMBER 174 – FEBRUARY 2016 EDITORIAL
“At last he rose, and twitched his mantle blue: Tomorrow to fresh woods, and pastures new.”
- John Milton (1608 – 74)
As another cricket season appears on the horizon I think that it's time to appreciate what we currently have in county cricket.
In the County Championship all sides will still play 16 matches in 2016. However this could quite easily not have been the case and it is still possible that we could see a reduction to 14 or even 12 matches in the near future. I hope that this will not happen but I fear that it might.
Northamptonshire won the Twenty20 Cup in 2013 and finished as runners-up last season. The pedigree of the team in this competition is there for all to see. Additionally the (currently 7) home matches provide the club with a very important source of revenue. Unfortunately there are renewed calls for T20 to be revamped into an event similar to those in Australia and India. Where exactly this would leave Northamptonshire is uncertain. Would our best players be pulled into the squads of the participating teams? Would the county still receive income despite not staging any matches? Will there be a subsidiary competition and what will the public interest be in this? Whatever the answers to these questions it appears that the idea of an 'EPL' will not go away.
Therefore I suggest that we make the best of what we have in 2016 in county cricket. These may become 'the good old days'.
On a more positive note it is great to hear that the Club's finances are in a much better position than twelve months ago. No doubt we will learn more details relating to finances at the AGM.
BILL HORSLEY | Editor
The opinions expressed by the authors of articles in this newsletter do not necessarily reflect those of the editor or Northamptonshire County Cricket Supporters Club
FEBRUARY 2016 FE
CRICKET LUNCHES
Thursday 25 February 1pm Thursday 31 March 1pm
To book for this lunch please contact Linda Fisher on 07989844171. The cost of lunches remains £12.50
SUPPORTERS CLUB MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL
If you pay your Supporters Club membership subscription annually or your five-year subscription expired in 2015 – it is now due. Please arrange to renew at a Suppoters Club event or at the 'signal box' during the coming season. I must remind you that the new subscription rates are £5 per year and £25 for five years. Thank you for your help.
QUIZ
The following questions relate to the subjects of articles/news items in this issue.
1. Which competition replaced the Gillette Cup?
2. Who made 107 against the West Indies in his only Test Match against them?
3. Who was twelth man for Northamptonshire in the 1976 Gillette Cup Final?
4. Apart from Fred Bakewell which other Northamptonshire player was a member of the MCC touring side to India in 1933-34?
5. Which county did Steven Crook play for between his two spells with Northamptonshire?
6. In 1939 at which venue did Northamptonshire play their final County Championship match before World War Two?
7. Which two countries will play Test Series in England in 2016?
8. Which team did Josh Cobb originally play for in the Bangladesh Premier League?
9. In which city was Geoff Cook born?
10. At which Derbyshire venues did Northamptonshire Second Eleven play in 2015?
Quiz Answers: 1. The Nat West Bank Trophy, 2. Fred Bakewell,3. Alan Hodgson, 4. Nobby Clark, 5. Middlesex, 6. Taunton, 7. Sri Lanka and Pakistan, 8.Dhaka Gladiators, 9. Middlesbrough, 10. Belper and Swarkestone.
Northamptonshire County Cricket Supporters Club would like to thank Autohome for their assistance in the printing of this newsletter.
FEBRUARY 2016
NEWS
| Alex Wakely's auction of Northants kit and memorabilia in November raised £2400 for Help for Heroes
| Richard Levi has signed a two-year deal with Northants Cricket. Next season will be his fourth at Wantage Road after initially joining purely to play Twenty20 in 2013
| The December edition of The Cricketer records that on the MCC 1933-34 tour of India captain Douglas Jardine insisted on his batsmen wearing a solar topee when facing fast bowling. In one match the sixth ball of Mohammed Nazar's opening over cracked into the brim of that worn by Fred Bakewell possibly saving the Northants batsman's life....
| Steven Crook has signed a new three-year contract with Northants. Crook first joined the county back in 2005, originally on loan from Lancashire. Last summer he made his highest first class innings – an unbeaten 142 against the touring Australians
| Another player returning to Wantage Road will be South African Rory Kleinveldt who has signed a new contract for 2016
| Chris Tombs has been announced as the new Northants Cricket Strength and Conditioning Coach. An MSc in Sport and Exercise Science Tombs has previously worked with Leicestershire, and both Leicester Tigers and Cardiff Blues rugby union clubs
| Former Northamptonshire cricketer Ian Philips died in early December at the age of 95. He is believed to be the last surviving pre-Second World War player. Stanley Ian Philips was born in Tunbridge Wells in 1920 and made a total of six appearances for Northamptonshire in the 1938 and 1939 seasons. He also appeared in one first-class match in India in 1941 as well as in a number of post-war matches for the Northamptonshire Second Eleven and Club and Ground
| Peter Willey collected the Walter Lawrence Trophy on behalf of his son David in early November. The award was presented by Earl Spencer
| Mike Macdonell has joined the board of Northants Cricket. He will sit on the Finance sub-committee. He has previously been a director of Reliance Security and Owner and CEO of Springboard Research
| Playing for Sylhet Super Stars in the Bangladesh Premier League Josh Cobb failed to take a wicket and played innings of 0, 15, 15 and 21 in his four matches. The competition was eventually won by Comilla Victorians who beat Barisal Bulls by three wickets off the final ball at Mirpur. During his spell with Sylhet Cobb was, through no fault of his own part of a farcical start to their match against Chittagong Vikings at Dhaka. It was reported by ESPN Cricinfo that Sylhet had not arranged for No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for Cobb and team mate Ravi Bopara to be in place by the start of the match. The late arrival of the NOCs was mainly responsible for a delay of over an hour to the start. Chittagong eventually won the match by 1 run. In Australia's Big Bash League David Willey's performances for Perth Scorchers have mainly been with the ball. He has returned figures of 2-24, 1-15, 1-34 and 3-22
| Although Northamptonshire will not play against a touring side this year there will be three representative fixtures at the County Ground. On 21 July England Lions take on Sri Lanka A in a limited overs match and the following day the Sri Lankans face their Pakistan counterparts. The 3rdof August sees the start of a four day 'test match' between the England and Sri Lankan Under 19.
LOOKING BACK : THE GILLETTE CUP
2016 marks the fortieth anniversary of the first time that Northamptonshire actually won a major trophy for the first time – the 1976 Gillette Cup.
It's as good a time as any to look back at the Tudor Rose county's participation in the first limited overs competition to feature all the first-class counties.
Northamptonshire's first match in the initially 65-overs competition took place on 22 May 1963 when Warwickshire visited the County Ground. The visitors were bowled out for just 140 and Man of the Match Roger Prideaux (52) led the way to a straightforward six-wicket win.
The side's good form continued in the Quarter Final against Middlesex at Lord's three weeks later with David Larter (4-22) and Colin Milburn (4-34) bowling the home side out for 129. Milburn then sealed his Man of the Match award by hitting 84 as another six-wicket win was claimed.
Following their two wins in the previous year's trial competion (which they had won) Northamptonshire had now amassed four straight limited overs victories. Sadly their run came to an end on 10 July 1963 in the Semi-Final at the County Ground against Sussex. With Ted Dexter hitting 115 the visitors totalled 292 before being bowled out. In reply only Prideaux (73) made any headway and Northants were bowled out for 187 to lose by 105 runs.
1964 was to see Northamptonshire again make progress. A weather affected First Round match played over two days in early may at the County Ground saw the home side successfully defend a modest total of 165, bowling Derbyshire out for 130.
The Second Round tie at Leicester was much more comfortable. Larter (5-24) and Mike Kettle (4-19) bowled the home side out for just 56. Mike Norman (37*) and Brian Reynolds (22*) took Northants to a ten-wicket win.
Unfortunately the Quarter-Final match at the County Ground was to see Warwickshire gain revenge for their defeat of the previous season. They totalled 300-8 with Bob Barber (114) hitting a century. Again Prideaux (58*) was to hit a fifty in a losing cause.
In 1965 Northamptonshire were again to reach the Quarter-Finals. Having received a bye in the First Round they travelled to Bristol for their opening match. Despite bowling Gloucestershire out for 130 (Larter 4-38) they struggled to their victory target winning by only two wickets.
Surrey were to prove too strong in the Quarter-Final at The Oval. At total of 222-8 was to prove far too many for Northants who collapsed to 97 all out with Stuart Storey taking 4-14.
The 1966 First Round match at home against Glamorgan was to see Northamptonshire dismissed for an even lower total – 67. The visitors won by nine wickets.
The following season Northants faced a minor county for the first time – Bedfordshire – at a venue that would become familiar in a few years' time, Luton. Mushtaq Mohammed (64* and 3-31) was to have a fine all round match but it was Colin Milburn who was Man of the Match in a 83-run win.
Nottinghamshire were the Second Round visitors to the County Ground. This time Mushtaq (68) was to win the award as Northants chased down a target of 204 to win by four wickets.
Again the Quarter-Final stage was to see the county's exit from the competition. Somerset were bowled out for 184 at the County Ground but then Northamptonshire were themselves dismissed for 148 with Fred Rumsey taking 4-23.
The 1968 First Round saw revenge exacted for the defeat of two years previously with Glamorgan bowled out for 76 and a six-wicket victory claimed. Milburn (3-1 and 29*) was the award winner.
Milburn (4-40 and 53)was again man of the match as Cheshire were beaten by nine wickets at Macclesfield. (The minor county would have to wait twenty years for their revenge – but that's another story!).
Again the Quarter-Finals would see Northamptonshire meet their Waterloo. At Hove Sussex made 255-7 with Ken Suttle making exactly 100. In reply Northants came close but were bowled out for 248 to lose by just seven runs.
Unfortunately Northamptonshire now began a dismal run in the competition – not defeating a first-class county in the competition again until 1976. During this period their defeats were as follows;
| 1969 Glamorgan at Northampton (lost by 79 runs)
| 1970 Somerset at Northampton (lost by 50 runs –Roy Virgin making 103 to be Man of the Match!)
| 1971 Kent at Canterbury (lost by 45 runs)
| 1972 Glamorgan at Northampton (lost by 43 runs)
| 1973 Sussex at Northampton (lost by 30 runs –Roger Prideaux making 81 to be Man of the Match for his new county)
| 1974 Leicestershire at Leicester (lost by 120 runs – bowled out for 62 with David Steele's brother John making 85* to be Man of the Match)
| 1975 Lancashire at Old Trafford (lost by 9 wickets – this followed a First Round victory over minor county Cambridgeshire)
The 1976 Cup run has previously been covered in these pages. Though it must be stated again that in view of the above detailed results and Lancashire's wins in 1970, 1971, 1972 and 1975 the result of the 1976 Final could not have been easily predicted!
In 1977 Northamptonshire began their defence of the trophy with nervous three-wicket win over then Minor County Durham at the County Ground. Bowled out for 151 the visitors made Northants fight all the way to claim a win the 58th over.
The Second Round saw another close fought match. At Bristol Gloucestershire made 241-5 and Northamptonshire were to win by just two wickets with four balls to spare. Mushtaq (89) again played a major role.
Hopes of a successful defence were ended by local rivals Leicestershire in the Quarter-Final at the County Ground. Geoff Cook made 95 but a total of 228-9 was to prove insufficient as the visitors claimed a five-wicket win in the 58th over.
1978 was to prove a disapointment – Kent winning by five wickets at the County Ground in the Second Round tie.
By contrast the following season would see Northamptonshire reach the Gillette Cup Final for the second and final time. After a First Round bye a century from Cook (114*) saw Surrey defeated by six wickets at the County Ground.
This time a Quarter-Final against Leicestershire at the County Ground was to provide a positive result. The visitors were bowled out for 180 (Richard Williams 3-15) and an unbeaten 92 from Wayne Larkins took the side to an eight wicket win.
Hove was the venue for the Semi-Final against Sussex. A century from Allan Lamb (101) and 89 from Peter Willey helped take Northamptonshire to 255-7. Sussex were then contained to 218 and Lord's awaited again.
Sadly for Northamptonshire and their supporters 8 September 1979 at Lord's belonged to Viv Richards (117), Joel Garner (6-29) and Somerset who ran out winners by 45 runs.
1980 was to prove the final year of Gillette's sponsorship. Northamptonshire's final match in the competition took place at The Oval on 2 July. Bowled out for 141 they were beaten by Surrey by the margin of seven wickets.
In total Northamptonshire played 36 Gillette Cup matches winning 19 and losing 17.
Some other Gillette Cup statistics;
| Both Colin Milburn and Peter Willey won 4 Man of the Match awards – the highest number for Northamptonshire
| The only former Northamptonshire cricketer to act as Man of the Match adjudicator was Freddie Brown.
| The 10-wicket victory at Leicester in 1964 was one of only five in the competition
| David Later's hat trick against Sussex at the County Ground in 1963 was the first to be taken in the Gillette Cup
| David Steele was the first Northants batsman to hit a century (109 v Cambridgeshire at March in 1975)
| The highest innings total was 275-5 against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge in 1976
| The lowest innings total was 62 at Leicester in 1974.
As a postscript I must add that I still have a board game called The Gillette Cup. This game is for two players and involves one player being the bowling side, setting a rudimentary field and then choosing whether to bowl fast, medium or slow. The other player is the batting side.
The 'bowler' turns over a card from the bowling pack and then the 'batsman' does likewise – there being no skill involved as the cards tell you the type of delivery bowled (for example 'Full Toss') and the batting response (for example 'A4' to indicate which square on the board the ball was hit to or 'LBW', etc).
Other than re-setting his field there is nothing that the 'bowler' can do to influence the outcome and the 'batsman' is completely at the mercy of the cards.
From what I remember 140 was a good innings total in this game and 30 a great score for an individual batsman! Not quite like the real thing...
FIXTURES 2016
With the fixtures for Northamptonshire's 2016 season now out it's time to reflect on some of the trips that the team will be making to attractive away venues.
On Tuesday 14 June the county travel to North Marine Road, Scarborough to play Yorkshire. Back in 1988 the Supporters Club ran a weekend trip to Scarborough. The highlights were defeating our Yorkshire counterparts in a Quiz and Geoff Cook scoring a double century! Scarborough first staged Championship cricket in 1896. Northamptonshire lasted played at this venue in 2010 when they lost a 40-over match on a chilly, rainy May afternoon by 35 runs (I was there!).
Just over a week later (on Wednesday 22 June) the picturesque setting of Arundel Castle is the venue for the Championship match against Sussex. Northamptonshire played limited overs matches at Arundel in 2012 and 2013 (losing the first but winning the second) but this will be the first Championship visit. Sussex first used this venue for Championship cricket in 1990.
The first week in July will see Northamptonshire return to the lovely Queen's Park Ground at Chesterfield. On Sunday 3 July they face Derbyshire in a Twenty20 match and the following four days see the two counties play a Championship match at the same venue. Last season Northants edged home in a close T20 match on a soggy Sunday. We are also no strangers to Chesterfield as a Championship venue with visits there each season between 2008 and 2011 inclusive. Northamptonshire first played there in 1906 their second season as a first-class county.
A month later St Helen's, Swansea is the venue for the Championship match against Glamorgan, commencing on Wednesday 3 August. This is seaside venue although the distance that the tide goes out can sometimes make you wonder on this point! This was also the main rugby venue in the city before the advent of the Liberty Stadium. I visited the ground back in 1987 for one of my first away trips. The result was a seven-wicket win for Northants and sunburnt legs for me! Apparently Northants opener Mick Norman bagged a king pair here on one day in 1964 and had to trudge the 70-odd steps up to the pavilion twice within the space of a few hours. Northamptonshire's first Championship visit to Swansea was in 1922 and their most recent was in 2011.
Northants' final away trip of the season is to New Beckenham to take on Kent in a Championship match which starts on Tuesday 6 September. Kent first used this ground for Championship cricket back in 1954 when it was the Lloyds Bank Sports Ground. However this will be only the fifth first-class match there and will be Northamptonshire's first visit.
All in all the coming season provides several opportunities for visiting a number of attractive outgrounds. We can hope for warm, sunny weather and winning performances by Northamptonshire. Perhaps I will see you there?
ISSUE NUMBER 175 – APRIL 2016
“If not actually disgruntled, he was far from being gruntled.” – P.G. Wodehouse (1881-1975)
These are changing times for county cricket. Naturally I am sorry to see a reduction in the number of County Championship matches from 2017. It is also unclear exactly how this will work in Division Two. There is something unsatisfactory with everyone not playing everyone twice. To my mind this is bound to lead to some inequalities such as one county playing the runaway champions twice whilst another plays the lacklustre bottom team both home and away.
The 50-over competition is consigned mainly to April and May. In 2017 this does make sense as it will lead into an international tournament in the same format. With the group winners going straight to the semis and the second and third place teams playing each other in the quarters the knockout part of the competition certainly is providing something new.
As for the T20 Blast this retains its current format but moves to the second half of the summer. There had been suggestions that this tournament would become a two division affair but this idea has at least been put to one side in the short term. The prospect of a franchise competition also lurks in the background and has some high profile supporters. To be fair some of those supporters also want this competition to be broadcast on freeview television (as with the Big Bash in Australia). What this would mean for a county like Northamptonshire in the long term is an interesting question.
I regularly check the Northants website and when doing this recently it came as something of a (pleasant) surprise to see my words on it! I can confirm that West Stand Story is back on the web.
Best wishes to you for a sunny and enjoyable 2016 cricket season.
BILL HORSLEY
Editor
The opinions expressed by the authors of articles in this newsletter do not necessarily reflect those of the editor or Northamptonshire County Cricket Supporters Club
APRIL 2016 FE
SUPPORTERS CLUB MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL
If you pay your Supporters Club membership subscription annually or your five-year subscription expired in 2015 – it is now due. Please arrange to renew at a Suppoters Club event or at the 'signal box' during the coming season. I must remind you that the new subscription rates are £5 per year and £25 for five years. Thank you for your help.
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NEWS EXTRA
The April edition of The Cricketer magazine features a lovely snowy photo of the County Ground which includes the Signal Box in the corner. The edition also includes predictions for the coming season with Northamptonshire tipped to finish bottom of Division Two.
Northamptonshire finished as runners-up in the Barbados Twenty20 tournament. In their semi-final the county defeated a Barbados XI by 54 runs. Steven Crook hit 84 from 56 balls as the Steelbacks totalled 184-4. Mohammad Azharullah then took 3-25 as the hosts were contained to 128-4 in reply.
Notts were the opponents in the final and they batted first to reach 131-4 with Greg Smith hitting an unbeaten 67 and Azhar taking 2-22. At 98-3 after 14 overs Northants looked well placed but a collapse saw them bowled out for 129 with one ball to spare.
On their rest day a number of the Northants squad played golf at the Royal Westmoreland Golf Club and met Sir Garry Sobers and Franklyn Stephenson.
A 50-over match against a Barbados Select XI Northants were defeated by seven wickets. David Murphy (43) top-scored in a disapointing total of 155 all out. The hosts claimed their win in the 28th over.
Former Northamptonshire all-rounder David Willey took a T20 hat-trick against England in their final warm-up match prior to the World Cup Twenty20 tournament. Willey, who had been loaned to the Mumbai XI alongside Jos Buttler, Adil Rashid and James Vince, dismissed Joe Root, Moeen Ali and Chris Jordan with the final three balls of the innings ( a la 2013 Twenty20 Cup Final!) England still won the game by 14 runs.
Meanwhile the Scotland World Twenty 20 squad included several players with Northamptonshire connections; Con de Lange, George Munsey and Kyle Coetzer. The team won just one of their three matches and failed to qualify for the main competition.
According to the Northampton Chronicle and Echo Northamptonshire failed in a bid to entice South African international Quentin de Kock to join the county for the T20 Blast. The C&E also details that an offer has been made to another unamed player but it was still being considered at the time of writing.
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Northamptonshire County Cricket Supporters Club would like to thank Autohome for their assistance in the printing of this newsletter.
APRIL 2016
DONATION
The Supporters Club has received a 'thank you' from the parent club for our donation of £2500 towards the pre-season tour. It is our pleasure to give this donation and hope this this will help the team to have a successful season.
JOHN HUMPHREY
I am very sad to report that John died on 27 January after falling ill just before Christmas.
John was a loyal, long standing supporter of the team along with his other great passion The Cobblers. He was particularly enthusiastic about his away journeys to watch the cricket whether by coach or as a car passenger.
I travelled with John many times. His final trips last season being the exciting low scoring 50 over match at Worcester, the David Willey masterclass at Hove and the T20 finals day at Edgbaston.
John from friends and supporters alike you will be sadly missed
JIM FINNEY
NEWS
On 29/30 January the annual Sleep Out for the Northampton Hope Centre took place at the County Ground. A chilly and wet night saw 137 volunteers sllep rough to raise £32K for the charity.
T3 Signs have been appointed Official Signage Partner of Northamptonshire County Cricket Club.
Steven Crook was one of the winners of the Professional Cricketers Association Personal Development Scholarships. He will receive £1,000 towards Personal Development course funding.
Following a strong recovery from back injury Olly Stone re-joined the Potential England Performance Programme in South Africa in January.
The Leys School, Cambridge has been announced as the new Northants Satellite Academy. Freddie Brown, Northamptonshire and England captain in the early 1950's attended the school between 1925 and 1929. The current Head of Cricket at the school is Kettering-born Richard Kaufman who also plays for Old Northamptonians in the Northamptonshire Cricket League and Oxfordshire in the Minor Counties Championship.
Hevey Building Supplies have become the new Main Club Partner of Northamptonshire CCC in a deal which covers the next two seasons. Their sponsorship includes being the main sponsor of the County Championship shirt and sponsoring Olly Stone. Hevey already sponsor the Northamptonshire Cricket League, the official Northants Academy and Emerging Player Partner Programme.
Ben Sanderson has signed a two-year deal with Northamptonshire. The Sheffield born bowler has played for both his native Yorkshire and for minor county Shropshire prior to making his county debut last season.
Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi who was a member of Northants T20 team last season has signed for Hampshire for this season's campaign.
Specsavers have signed a four year deal as the sponsors of the County Championship.
The Steelbacks Cafe has opened in the Lynn Wilson Indoor Centre. The cafe serves snacks as well as hot and cold drinks. Its opening hours are advertised as 4 to 9pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 6pm on Saturday.
Tom Sole has joined the Northants Academy. He was formerly cricket captain at Merchiston Castle School in Edinburgh, has played club cricket for Grange and been a member of the Scotland under-15 and under-19 squads. He made a number of appearances for Northants Second Eleven in 2015. Tom was introduced to Northants by his coach at Grange, former Norhants and Yorkshire bowler John Blaine.
Somerset have signed Scottish all-rounder Michael Leask who played for Northants against New Zealand A in 2014. Meanwhile Nottinghamshire have signed former Northants target Australian seam bowler Jackson Bird. Bird replaces his injured compatriot Peter Siddle.
Alex Wakely has signed a contract extension with Northants until September 2017. He will also remain as captain across all formats for the forseeable future.
Monty Panesar travelled to Barbados with the Northants team as part of his rehabilitation programme. It was reported by BBC Sport that Monty paid his own way for the trip. Monty, who was released by Essex last year has been working with Head Physiotherapist Barry Goudriaan.
Northants have announced a loss of £54,315 on the financial year ending on 30 September 2015.
This is in line with the forecast made at the start of last year. It has also be emphasised that the Club has not yet drawn on the facility of £250,000 made available to them by Northampton Borough Council.
SECOND ELEVEN
The Second Eleven commence their season on 12 April by combining with Kent to face Warwickshire at Canterbury. The combined team will also play Scotland A at the County Ground on 23 August.
The opening Second Eleven Championship match at the County Ground begins on 18 April when Leicestershire are the visitors. The remaining Championship fixtures are as follows;
10 May v Lancashire. Venue TBA
24 May v Worcestershire at Kidderminster
14 June v Nottinghamshire at Worksop
21 June v Derbyshire at the County Ground
19 July v Durham Away Venue TBA
26 July v Warwickshire Venue TBA
2 August v Yorkshire Venue TBA
8 August v MCC Universities at Desborough
The opening pair of Twenty20 matches will be at home (venue to be arranged at the time of writing) against Warwickshire on 3 May. The remaining T20 matches are (two matches scheduled for each day);
16 May v Yorkshire Venue TBA
18 May v Leicestershire Venue TBA
23 May v Worcestershire at New Road, Worcester
31 May v Lancashire Away Venue TBA
13 June v Nottinghamshire at Nettleworth
The Second Eleven Trophy commences with a match against Lancashire on 9 May. The remaining 50 over fixtures are as follows;
20 June v Derbyshire at the County Ground
4 July v Leicestershire at Kibworth
18 July v Durham Away Venue TBA
12 August v Nottinghamshire Venue TBA
THE STEELETOES
The Steeletoes' fixtures for the coming season are as follows;
2 May RL One Day Cup v Scotland
29 May RL One Day Cup v Oxfordshire
30 May RL One Day Cup v Cheshire
12 June RL One Day Cup v Derbyshire
26 June T20 Cup v Hertfordshire
26 June T20 Cup v Derbyshire
3 July T20 Cup v Devon
3 July T20 Cup v Cheshire
17 July T20 Cup v Cornwall
17 July T20 Cup v Oxfordshire
24 July T20 Cup v Scotland
24 July T20 Cup v Shropshire
28 August RL One Day Cup v Norfolk
29 August RL One Day Cup v Gloucestershire
4 September RL One Day Cup v Durham
None of the venues for the Steeletoes matches had been finalised at the time of writing.
The above fixture information was taken from the Cricket Archive website and has been re-produced in good faith.
T20 THOUGHTS
A recent article by Michael Vaughan summed up the stage which cricket has reached. His preference is to take his son to a T20 rather than a test. The atmosphere created around the T20 format he feels to be far more attractive to children. Certainly, the music, competitions and free T shirts must be aimed at children, although I’m not too sure about the dancing girls.
It’s pointless for me to disagree. History shows a rapid move away from sports, pastimes and entertainment generally which require concentration and application to follow them. Then there is the argument that T20 can be played to a result in an afternoon or evening, and at a time when potential spectators are free to attend. The test match usually requires a full day out, and for many some distance to travel.
Test and championship cricket have always cut across the working week, and this factor has affected attendances and coverage over time. Few papers bother with scorecards and reports these days, especially in the Internet age.
The drift towards T20 looks unstoppable and it already feels as if test and 50 over cricket have been sidelined. The attendances at T20 showed overwhelmingly how popular it is. Weekend attendances at the England tests in South Africa were good but otherwise poor. It will be fascinating to see the test crowds this summer for Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
There may come a time when the only readily accessible cricket for us in Northamptonshire, will be local league and village cricket. Michael Vaughan was praising the virtues of the Big Bash and franchise teams on TMS and there seems to be a move in the franchise direction for T20. Where that move would leave the rest of the cricket competitions is something I’m not sure has been given any consideration.
All I can offer is a suggestion that we enjoy four day cricket while we have it.
MICHAEL WELLS
A GOOD SPORT
Oh to be at the County Ground
Now that April's here
With warm Spring sun, familiar sounds
And a pint of Old Speckled Hen beer *
It's good to see old friends again
To sort the season out
Who will do well with bat or ball
They will do their best – no doubt
Let's look forward to this season
For it's always far too short
In the Summer sun, when run follows run
There is no finer sport
FLORENCE NICHOLSON
* Other beers are available - Editor
THE BEST MAN
It's a problem which is hardly new, but occupies the minds of players, coaches, pundits, journalists and the cricket fans.
Do you pick the best wicket keeper or the wicket keeper who is potentially the better batsman?
The question of balance comes into it, and maybe the unreliability of the batsmen, unless there is a top 6 batter who can keep well.
The dilemma has definitely featured more often in the days of T20 and 50 over cricket. However, in the earlier days of my interest in cricket, there were similar questions regarding the England test team. I recall reading that Godfrey Evans was not necessarily the best keeper, but his rumbustious batting was a telling factor. Otherwise Keith Andrew might have had more than his two caps.
Moving into the 60s, Jim Parks made many runs for Sussex and England, but never looked like the very best keeper. My preference was John Murray, who looked the part with the gloves and was no rabbit with the bat, though admittedly not in Parks’ class. I saw more of Murray than most, as a Middlesex supporting uncle used to take me to Lords quite often. It was also a great pleasure to watch Murray score his one test hundred at the Oval against the West Indies in 1966. His wicket keeping had a class and elegance not matched by his rivals.
There was the Knott or Taylor question for many years for England. Both keepers of the highest quality but Knott was a batsman who could defy or destroy opposition attacks, with his own style of batting. I believe he and Tony Greig were the first I saw use the upper cut over the slips during that horrifying tour to Australia in 1974-5, when Lillee and Thompson did not pitch the ball up very often. Bob Taylor showed what a great keeper he was at test level when Alan Knott joined the Packer circus.
Then there was Russell v Stewart when I feared the latter was not a test class keeper. He usually proved me wrong, although his batting average suffered a little when he took up the gloves.
No doubt there are other similar stories further into the past, but at present, I ponder on the situations at Wantage Road and in the England camp.
England have two exciting, attacking batsmen in the squad who can keep wicket, but neither look the real deal behind the stumps. There are mitigating circumstances in that spin has become rarer commodity and they are expected to keep to Moeen, Rashid and Root. Many keepers look the part leaping about to pace bowling, but I guess the real skill is keeping to the spinners. That and standing up to pace.
Who will emerge as the long term regular is uncertain. Bairstow is currently in for tests, Buttler for limited overs. Bairstow is a formidable limited overs batsman, so I’m puzzled as to why there isn't a place for him as a batter. Neither fill me with confidence as keepers, but their batting will keep them in the squad. My pick as wicket keepers of high ability from recent seasons, are John Simpson at Middlesex, young Davies at Lancashire and Steven Davies at Surrey, though recent scorecards indicate he’s given up the gloves.
We have a three way split in the Northamptonshire squad, between Murphy, Rossington and Duckett. Taking the latter first, Ben Duckett has a fantastic future as a batsman who can succeed in all formats. Keeping may hold him back. Adam Rossington is a hard hitting batsman who can hold his own in all forms. Both keep reliably against most pace bowling but do not show the same aptitude as David Murphy when the spinners are on. Most important Murphy has stood up successfully to Andrew Hall, and please correct me if I dreamt it, to Azhar and David Willey.
That's a skill I used to think was mad when I played village cricket and saw the struggles of many keepers.
It’s not a new dilemma but certainly the increasing amount of one day cricket means it’s more likely to be an issue. Let’s hope Northants get it right this coming season.
MICHAEL WELLS
CHANGES TO COUNTY CRICKET FOR 2017
In early March a number of changes to county cricket were announced. The first one has an impact on the coming season as only the Champions of Division Two will be promoted this season. The bottom two teams in Division One will still be relegated and from 2017 there will be eight counties in Division One and ten in Division Two. Also in 2017 the number of championship matches each county plays will decrease to 14 (from 16) meaning that in Division Two there will not be a complete home and away round robin.
The 50-over competition will be played mainly in April and May with the Lord's final taking place in July. This is a similar arrangement to that of the old Benson and Hedges Cup. What is different is that the two group winners go straight into the semi-finals with the second and third place teams playing off to meet them.
The T20 Blast will take place in two blocks in July and August with a greater concentration of matches during the school holidays. The regional nature of the groups and Finals Day remain unchanged.
ISSUE NUMBER 176 – JUNE 2016
EDITORIAL
“The best thing about the future is that it comes one day at a time.” - Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865)
The beginning of the season has seen an interesting mix of weather. There has been rain, perhaps too much rain. There has been cold (ditto). And there have been some sunny warm days (I particularly enjoyed the weather, if not the score on the opening day of the County Championship match at Leicester). As is generally the case events will no doubt overtake my words to leave you wondering by the time you read them what the heck I am talking about (perhaps not for the first time?).
The start of the season has also been disapointing in terms of results although the weather has been at least partly responsible. I hope that this is another area where events will overtake my words and make me appear foolish. In 2015 Northamptonshire drew 10 of their 16 County Championship matches – the most by any county. Please let there be more Ws and less Ds and Ls before the season is out!
The F word has been spoken again. I am, of course talking about franchises. There is a strong possibility that a T20 'EPL' will be with us in 2020 (somewhat appropriately I suppose). Quite where this will leave counties like Northamptonshire and our finances I am uncertain. To my mind what English cricket needs is a return, at least in part, to terestrial television (or via free to air iPlayer) as soon as possible. Why was last year's Ashes series seldom talked about and why was no member of England's victorious team on the shortlist for Sports Personality of the Year? Because the sport has been marginalised through being exclusively on satellite television. The sooner this ends the better for the game.
BILL HORSLEY
Editor
The opinions expressed by the authors of articles in this newsletter do not necessarily reflect those of the editor or Northamptonshire County Cricket Supporters Club
JUNE 2016 FE
SUPPORTERS CLUB MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL
If you pay your Supporters Club membership subscription annually or your five-year subscription expired in 2015 – it is now due. Please arrange to renew at a Suppoters Club event or at the 'signal box' during the coming season. I must remind you that the new subscription rates are £5 per year and £25 for five years. Thank you for your help.
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TOMBOLA
Our tombola will be on Saturday 13 August during the County Championship match also against Leicestershire. Please be kind with your donations for this event. We already have some prizes but need many more! Again we also look forward to your patronage on the day (and possible the Sunday too!).
We are also aiming to hold a raffle this season – date to be advised.
THE 300 CLUB
The season's opening County Championship fixture against Sussex saw Ben Duckett frustratingly stranded on 282 not out and thus denied the chance to become a triple centurian. As far as Northamptonshire are concerned the list of those who have reached the 300 mark is a short one.
The first Northamptonshire batsman to reach 300 exactly was Raman Subba Row who achieved this against his former county Surrey at The Oval in 1958. For 40 years this remained the highest individual score by a Northamptonshire batsman.
Finally in 1998 Subba Row's mark was exceeded by one of Northamptonshire's own – Mal Loye who hit an unbeaten 322 against Glamorgan at the County Ground.
Loye's feat was followed less than a year later by another batsman who, like Subba Row, hailed originally from Surrey. David Sales compiled an unbeaten 303 against Essex also at the County Ground.
The only multiple member of Northamptonshire's 300 Club is Australia's Mike Hussey who hit a trio of triple hundreds in successive seasons. The first of these innings was against Essex at the County Ground in 2001 and by reaching an unbeaten 329 Hussey set a new Northants record.
The following season he treated the Gloucestershire public to an undefeated 310 at Bristol. Finally he raised the county high water mark again with an unbeaten 331 against Somerset at Taunton.
Another Australian would become the most recent Northamptonshire triple cenurian in 2006. Chris Rogers's innings of 319 came against Gloucestershire at the County Ground.
Only time will tell who will be the next to join the 300 Club for Northamptonshire. Will it be Ben Duckett or another? Let's hope that it is not too long in coming
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Northamptonshire County Cricket Supporters Club would like to thank Autohome for their assistance in the printing of this newsletter.
JUNE 2016
SECOND ELEVEN
The season opened with a combined Kent and Northamptonshire side taking on Warwickshire at Canterbury. The match was a rain ruined draw but there was sufficientr play for Graeme White to hit 90 in a total of 252. When rain stopped play on day two Warwickshire were 231-5 in reply.
The match against Leicestershire at the County Ground in April enjoyed better weather although it too would end in a draw. Trialist seamer Brinder Phagura took 4-75 as the visitors were bowled out for 284. Loanee Jake Libby hit 86 and Sean Terry (son of former Hampshire and England batsman Paul) 106 in an opening stand of 187. David Murphy (144) then weighed in with a century of his own before a declaration was made at 499-9. The visitors batted it out to reach 178-4 by the close.
In their opening two T20 matches Northamptonshire faced Warwickshire at Finedon. Sadly both games ended in defeat. In the first match Northants totalled 106-8 in their 20 overs with Norfolk's Sam Arthurton (33) top-scoring. The visitors reached their target with five wickets and an over to spare. In the second encounter Northants again batted first, this time making 114 for 6 with Rob Keogh hitting an unbeaten 39. This time Warwickshire only lost one wicket in reaching their target in the 17th over.
The County Ground was the venue for the opening Second Eleven Trophy match against Lancashire. Inserted the home side totalled 208 for 9 in their 50 overs with Simon Branston (48) top-scoring. Despite 72 from Tom Smith the visitors were bowled out for 205 and Northamptonshire gained a narrow three run win. Incidentally Branston was born in Leamington Spa but has played for Western Australian age group teams as well as for Hampshire, Kent and Worcestershire Second Elevens as well as Wiltshire.
The the Championship match between the two sides at Desborough was completely washed out.
The Second Eleven returned to action with a pair of Twenty20 matches against Yorkshire at Stowe School. Yorkshire scored 134-7 in the opening match. In reply Northamptonshire were 19 for 5 and eventually all out for just 101.
The second match saw Northants bat first and the reached 122-4 in their 20 overs with William Thomas (37*) top-scoring. However Yorkshire chased down their target in the 17th over, winning with eight wickets to spare.
T20 WARM (?) UP
On a chilly April evening the Steelbacks defeated Bedfordshire by 13 runs in a T20 friendly at the County Ground. The home side made 155-5 with Richard Levi reaching 40 and Alex Wakeley 42. 'Guest' player Adam Rossington (57) appearred to be putting the visitors on the way to an upset win but they were pegged back to finish on 142-5 with Saif Zaib taking 3-15.
NEWS
Former Northamptonshire cricket John Minney has died at the age of 76. From Oundle School Minney went to Cambridge University where he played in 14 first-class matches without earning his blue. In 1961 he played for Northamptonshire as an amateur in matches against Yorkshire, Nottinghamshire and Combined Services.
After a six year gap and with the distinction between Gentlemen and Players now abolished he made two more appearences for the county in 1967 hitting 42 against Notts at Worksop and 58 against Middlesex at the County Ground. He also played for the Second Eleven between 1957 and 1964.
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Easycopiers have been announced as the player sponsors of Ben Duckett for the 2016 season. Midshires Electrical will sponsor Steven Crook.
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I was recently talking with Peter Short who is the official Northamptonshire CCC photographer for this season. Peter will be at most matches and told me that he would be happy to car share with anyone who lives locally to him who is planning to go to a Northants awasy match. Peter lives in Hertford and be contacted on 07747 374638 or on
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Monty Panesar played for his native Bedfordshire in their Knockout Trophy opening match against Suffolk at Ampthill taking 3-20 in his ten overs. Also guesting was Rob Keogh who hit 58. The team also included former Northamptonshire batsman Ben Howgego. A rain affected match was won by Bedfordshire by 45 runs on Duckworth/Lewis.
Keogh and Panesar also played for Bedfordshire in their second Trophy match against Buckinghamshire at Gerrards Cross. Panesar claimed two wickets and Keogh one as Bucks were bowled out for 210. Beds slipped to 50 for4 before Keogh hit 77, playing the major role in a five wicket win.
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Northamptonshire members were able to watch the Championship match against Leicestershire at Grace Road free of charge by showing their membership card at the gate. A reciprocal arrangement will be in place when Leicestershire visit the County Ground for a Championship match which begins on Saturday 13 August.
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Former Northamptonshire all rounder was forced to take a six-week break from bowling due to an abdominal injury. This happened having played just two Championship matches for Yorkshire in which he had taken five wickets.
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The Northamptonshire players' charity this season is an initiative called Runs4Funds. The aim for the season is to raise £25,000 for Thomas's Fund a charity which provides music therapy for terminally ill children. Money can be pledged for each time a Steelbacks player hits a six during the T20 tournament or just a donation can be made.
Additionally on 18th June a charity cricket match will take place at Althorp House. Those confirmed as playing include Graeme Swann, Paul Nixon, Monty Panesar, Chris Rogers, Devon Malcolm, Allan Lamb and David Willey. Also appearing will be rugby union's Paul Grayson and Ben Foden, whilst from the acting world Jim Carter (Downton Abbey), Oliver & James Phelps (The Weasley Twins from Harry Potter) are also due to appear. The umpires are set to be George Sharp and Peter Willey. General Admission for adults is £10 with children under 16 admitted free.
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Jake Libby's loan period was extended for two weeks taking him up to close to the end of May before returning to Nottinghamshire.
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The Cricketer magazine has predicted that Northamptonshire will not qualify from their group in the Nat West T20 Blast.
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Former Northamptonshire and West Indies fast bowler Franklyn Rose was deported from New Zealand after immigration found that he had been living under an expired visa for four years. Source: The Cricketer
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The Professional Cricketers' Association are to co-stage a play based on the last day in the life of Colin Milburn. The play has been written by former Kent all-rounder James Graham-Brown.
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1976 GIANTKILLERS
Recently I wrote about Northamptonshire's first Trophy win – the 1976 Gillette Cup. One less remembered aspect of that success is that in the quarter-finals Northants defeated Hertfordshire – the only minor county ever to make it to this stage of the competition.
Herts had earned their spot in the last eight by defeating an Essex side containing the likes of Keith Fletcher, Graham Gooch and John Lever by 33 runs at Hitchin. The Northamptonshire connection here is that the Hertfordshire team featured two former county players – Robin Johns and Wayne Osman.
Johns (who played five County Championship matches in 1971) claimed 4-22 with his off-breaks and Osman (9 first-class matches in 1970 - 71) scored 27 invaluable runs in a low scoring match (153 v 120).
The County Ground was where Hertfordshire's fairy tale ended. They were dismissed for 69 (Osman 14, Johns 18*) Sarfraz Nawaz 12-2-17-4. Northants won by nine wickets in the 16th over (of the scheduled 60) with Peter Willey hitting an unbeaten 52.
Incidentally this was the first meeting between the two counties (at first eleven level) since 1903 in the Minor Counties Championship and is the last to date.
'SIGNAL BOX' HISTORY
Andrew Radd has been kind enough to furnish me with some history behind our 'Supporters Club HQ'.
“In February 1905 - with first-class status granted - NCCC consulted with the County Ground Company (who then owned the ground) about necessary ground improvements. One of the requirements was a new press and scorers' box, but having splashed out on a new ladies' stand and separate accommodation for amateurs and professionals they weren't keen on spending too much!
The directors of the company only passed the proposal by 4 votes to 3 - and it cost them £72. Generations of journalists would have felt they were robbed!”
The building was used for its original purpose until the mid 1980's when the scorers moved to join the journalists in a new home on top of what is now the Ken Turner Indoor School. The upstairs area of the building was subsequently used as an area for players wives and families before become the base for ground security.
Our downstairs area was the site of the Club Shop when I first started watching Northamptonshire regularly in 1985 * before becoming a sponsors' box. It became the home of the Supporters Club Book Stall in 2001.
Incidentally for those who don't know the bookstall began life in the early 1990's spending most of that decade inside the Ken Turner building. (We did go 'on tour' to both Luton and Wellingboroug.)A temporary home for the 2000 season was found in a portacabin adjacent to what was then the bowls club.
*In those days the young lady who ran it used to close up at lunchtime to go and have her own lunch! It was also just outside the signal box that I first met Bill Darker - former Supporters Club stalwart.
BILL HORSLEY
THE STEELETOES
Northamptonshire's women began their Royal London One Day Cup campaign against their Dutch counterparts at Finedon. The Nerherlands were bowled out for just 78 with Farida Bibi taking 3-11. Northants won by seven wickets in the 24th over with de Lange (3-8) proving a tricky bowler (Esther not Con!)
The next opponents were another national side – Scotland and the venue was Redwell Road, Wellingborough. Batting first Northamptonshire totalled 151-8 with Meera Patel (29) top-scoring.
The Scots were 3-1 after two overs when rained ended the match as a 'no result'.
MILBURN'S DEBUT
Fifty years ago Colin Milburn, helped by his early season performances for Northamptonshire, made his England Test Match debut against the West Indies at Old Trafford.
England were beaten in three days (for the first time since 1938) by an innings. Milburn's first innings was to prove an inauspicious start – run out for 0. He made up for this by making 94 (top score) in the second innings before being bowled by Lance Gibbs.
Milburn was to make his first test century in the next match. His unbeaten 126 helped to save the match after England, chasing 284 in four hours (thanks to a stand of 274 unbroken for the sixth wicket by Garry Sobers and his cousin David Holford) had slipped to 67 for four.
Despite this he would be dropped for the final test of the season (although to be fair England under new captain Brian Close did win by an innings). Milburn would have to wait until the following year to face India at Edgbaston. However his performances during the season were sufficient to see him named as a Cricketer of the Year in the following year's Wisden.
He was destined never to play a complete five match test series. Milburn's only other Test century (139) was to come in what was to prove his final international innings – against Pakistan at Karachi in March 1969.
You may be interested in Milburn's Test Match record which saw him hit 654 runs in 9 matches, average 46.71. In first-class cricket he totalled 13, 262 runs (average 33.07).
LOOKING BACK
Twenty years ago Northants played in their last Lord's Final (to date) – the 1996 Benson and Hedges Cup. The opponents were Lancashire who (the 1976 Gillette Cup Final aside) seem to have the unfortunate knack of beating us in major cup finals having now done it three times.
On their way to Lord's Northamptonshire had visited the unfamiliar cricketing venue of Forfar where Scotland were defeated by five wickets. Worcestershire, Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire were also defeated at the group stage.
In the quarter-final at the County Ground Rob Bailey hit an unbeaten 105 in a total of 293-7. Kent were contained to 270 with player coach John Emburey (4-24) rolling back the years.
The semi-final draw pitched Northants at home against Warwickshire who had defeated them in the 1995 Nat West Trophy final. Slipping to 88-6 the county were indebted to Tim Walton (70*) who added 108 for the seventh wicket with Tony Penberthy (41). Northants totalled 220-7. In response the Bears were bowled out for 193 with Paul Taylor returning figures of 10-1-25-2.
In the final Lancashire made 245-9 in their 50 overs with Neil Fairbrother (63) top-scoring. Both Paul Taylor and David Capel claimed two wickets but the most economical bowler was Curtly Ambrose whose ten overs cost 35 runs.
In reply Northamptonshire were 10 for 2 before a stand of 87 between Rob Bailey (46) and Richard Montgomerie (42). However they subsided to 214 all out with Ian Austin taking 4-21 to claim the man of the match award.
This was Northamptonshire's first season after the enforced retirement of Allan Lamb with Rob Bailey taking charge of the side. The run to the B&H Final appeared to hint that appearances in major finals (if not success in them) would continue. Sadly this was the last one for 17 years.
The Northamptonshire side in the 1996 B&H Final was (in batting order); David Capel, Alan Fordham, Rob Bailey (capt), Richard Montgomerie, Kevin Curran, Russell Warren (w/k), Tim Walton, Tony Penberthy, John Emburey, Curtly Ambrose, Paul Taylor.
QUIZ
ISSUE NUMBER 177 - JULY EDITORIAL
EDITORIAL
“I always pass on good advice. It is the only thing to do with it. It is never of any use to oneself.” - Oscar Wilde (1854 - 1900) from An Ideal Husband.
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The fact that things don't always turn out the way that you want them to was impressed upon me during my recent week in Chesterfield (though the absence of cricket did give the chance to find out that George Stephenson was reputedly the first man to grow a straight cucumber!). Had all gone to plan this season we would be seeing Olly Stone as a regular member of Northants First Eleven. As it is the opportunity has been handed to Richard Gleeson who has (at the time of writing) taken it well. It is a great boost to hear that Richard has signed full time for the county. I have been impressed with the way the team has performed during the period when injuries and call ups have impacted team selection. Long may this spirit continue.
Abandoned county matches don't come along too often (thank goodness!). This is only Northamptonshire's unlucky 13th. The last time it happened in a first-class match involving Northamptonshire was against Cambridge University at Fenner's in 1994. The last Northants County Championship match to suffer this fate was against Leicestershire at the County Ground in 1981. The seasons 1930, 1977 and 1978 all included two abandoned matches which is a record I don't want to see equalled or beaten. The 1914 match against Somerset at Taunton in 1914 is unique in having been abandoned due to War.
We will shortly be asking you to make your selection of Northamptonshire Player Of The Season. At the time of writing it isn't an obvious choice which is a good thing. Will Ben Duckett win for a second year running or will there be a new winner? It's your choice and we will make forms available in the Signal Box closer to the end of the season with the aim of making the presentation during the final Championship match of the season against Gloucestershire on 12 to 15 September.
BILL HORSLEY
Editor
The opinions expressed by the authors of articles in this newsletter do not necessarily reflect those of the editor or Northamptonshire County Cricket Supporters Club
JULY 2016 FE
SUPPORTERS CLUB MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL
If you pay your Supporters Club membership subscription annually or your five-year subscription expired in 2015 – it is now due. Please arrange to renew at a Suppoters Club event or at the 'signal box' during the coming season. I must remind you that the new subscription rates are £5 per year and £25 for five years. Thank you for your help.
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RAFFLE & TOMBOLA
We will be holding a raffle on Sunday 24 July during the Royal London One Day Cup match against Durham. The aim is to 'move amongst you' on the day so please support us and make our circumnavigation of the ground worthwhile.
Our tombola will be on Saturday 13 August during the County Championship match also against Leicestershire. Please be kind with your donations for this event. We already have some prizes salted away but need many more! Again we also look forward to your patronage on the day (and possible the Sunday too!).
QUIZ
For this issue's quiz I take as my theme years ending in a 6.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Answers: 1. Minor Counties, 2. Lance Klusener and Monty Panesar, 3. Wellingborough School, 4. Peterborough Town, 5. Sixteen, 6. Won after following on, 7. David Sales, 8. George Tribe, 9. Alan Hodgson, 10. Dublin University, 11. Roger Harper, 12. Tommy Askham
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Northamptonshire County Cricket Supporters Club would like to thank Autohome for their assistance in the printing of this newsletter.
JULY 2016
MAURICE KENT
It is my sad duty to inform you that Maurice Kent died on 20 May.
Both Maurice and his wife Sheila have been long serving members of the Supporters Club committee with Maurice serving as Treasurer for a number of years. He also served on the NCCC committee and was the club's official archivist.
Maurice's funeral took place at the Queensgrove Methosist Church in Northampton on 1 June. Our sincerest condolencies go to Sheila, family and friends.
PETER VALENTINE
Long time Northamptonshire supporter Peter Valentine died on 29 May aged 72 at Brampton View Care Home, Northampton. His funeral took place at the Counties Crematorium on 23 June. All our condolencies go to his family and friends.
I have received the following tribute to Peter from Philip Gammage:
“I first met Peter over 25 years ago when I came down to the County Ground with my late mother. We were looking for somewhere to sit and ended up sitting with him, his late mother Nancy and her friend Jill Gibb near to where players enter the field. I finished work on a Friday lunchtime, came home, got ready and then drove down to the ground. Peter also used to come down at lunchtime after work. We sat together for a long time and became friends, also meeting Daphne Lane, her husband Andrew and Jill's husband Malcolm.
After Nancy died Peter did not come to the ground as often. The last time I saw him was last year in the old Indoor School at the Wantage Road end. I was told of Peter's death by Jill Gibb during the Championship match against Essex. His funeral was attended by a good number of Supporters Club members.”
JEAN DINDOL
News has reached us that Jean Dindol, a member of the Supporters Club committee for a number of years has died. Her husband Harry, who survives her is a former Supporters Club Chairman. Our thoughts are with Harry, family and friends.
NEWS
Seekkuge Prasanna was called up to the Sri Lanka one-day squad. This involvement meant his absence from the Steelacks team from 13 June to 4 July.
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Olly Stone suffered a compact knee injury with anterior cruciate ligament and cartilage involvement during the T20 Blast match against Worcestershire Rapids at the County Ground immediately after claiming the wicket of Moeen Ali. This injury is thought likely to keep him from returning to action this season.
Stone is also reported to be the target of approaches from no less than 8 counties according to BBC Sport.
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Greene King have extended their sponsorship deal with Northamptonshire CCC. The deal is for the next five years and includes providing bar equipment as well as continuing as shirt sponsor for both the T20 Blast and One Day Cup competitions.
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In the July edition of The Cricketer magazine Earl Spencer chooses David Steele as his favourite cricketer.
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Former Northamptonshire head coach Phil Neale is now the Operations Manager for the England Cricket team.
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A landmark was reached during the County Championship match against Sussex at Arundel when Sean Terry became the 500th cricketer to represent Northamptonshire in first-class cricket. Sean is the son of former Hampshire and England batsman Paul Terry and previously represented his father's county. He was born in Southampton but raised in Perth. Terry had previously made 11 first-class appearances, 8 List A and 1 Twenty20. He has also appeared for Derbyshire 2nd XI and MCC Young Cricketers.
There is also a Hampshire link to the first eleven players to represent Northants. The county's initial County Championship match was against that county at the old Southampton County Ground back in May 1905. George Thompson is listed as Northamptonshire's cricketer No.1 as he faced the first ball in the county's Championship history.
Sean Terry has earned a call up to the Ireland squad for their five-match ODI series against Afghanistan. He recently hit an unbeaten 251 for Ireland A against Scotland A. Terry qualifies for Ireland through his mother Bernadette who is from Walkinstown.
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Former Yorkshire player Moin Ashraf has joined Northamptonshire, initially on a short term basis from Leeds Bradford MCCU. Bradford born Moin made his debut in the T20 Blast match against Durham at the County Ground taking three wickets. In addition to playing for Yorkshire in various age group teams up to and including the first team (making his debut in 2010 against Loughborough MCCU at Headingley) he has also played for the England Development XI. To date he has claimed 43 first-class wickets (32.18) in 23 matches and 25 wickets (36.80) in 23 List A matches.
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Anil Kumble, Northamptonshire's overseas player in 1995 has been appointed as India's new Chief Coach. Kumble, who is his country's leading Test wicket-taker beat Ravi Shastri to the role.
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Northamptonshire were unsuccessful in their bid to sign Tim Southee as temporary overseas cover for Rory Kleinveldt. Southee would have joined from 1 July but the deal was not approved by New Zealand Cricket. The experienced Kiwi has played 48 Tests, 99 One Day Internationals and 38 Twenty20 matches.
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Ben Duckett has been selected in the England Lions squad to face Pakistan A and Sri Lanka A. The series includes a match between the Lions and Sri Lanka at Northampton on July 21. Ben has previously been captain of the England Under 19 team.
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The Championship match between Derbyshire and Northamptonshire – scheduled to take place at Queen's Park, Chesterfield on 4 to 7 July was abandoned without a ball bowled. The T20 Blast match between the two counties scheduled for the day before the start of the Championship match was also abandoned without a ball bowled.
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Richard Gleeson has signed a three-year contract with Northamptonshire which will commence next season. The twenty-eight year old from Blackpool has been playing on an individual match basis. Richard joined the county last season and twice claimed seven wicket innings hauls for the second eleven. His first team debut was against Australia in 2015 when he dismissed Shaun Marsh and Mitchell Marsh. He has been employed by the Lancashire Cricket Board.
SECOND ELEVEN
Northamptonshire's first scheduled T20 match against Leicestershire at Bedford School was rained off but the second saw Lloyd Paternott (76) and Seekkuge Prasanna (71) add 117 for the fourth wicket in a total of 168-7. In reply the visitors were dismissed for 118 with Miles Richardson taking 3-28.
Northamptonshire travelled to Worcester for their next T20 matches. In the first one the home side were contained to 139-9 with Simon Branston taking 3-24. Despite seven batsmen reaching double figures Northants lost eight wickets in overhaulling this target off the final ball.
In the second T20 match between the two teams Josh Cobb's unbeaten 71 was the main contribution to a total of 163-7. Worcestershire appeared to be on course at 45-1 in the 5th over but fell away to 141-9 with Graeme White taking 3-23.
The two teams moved on to Kidderminster for a three-day Championship match. On the first day Northamptonshire were bowled out for 325 helped by a seventh wicket stand of 96 between Miles Richardson (57) and Simon Branston (66). Worcestershire replied with the small matter of 539-7 Moin Ashraf claimed 3-97. In their second innings Northants totalled 314 with Richardson (84*) and Branston (58) this time adding 127 for the sixth wicket. With 101 needed to win Worcestershire chased down their target in 13.1 overs but lost seven wickets in the process. Branston claimed 4-42, Ashraf 3-58.
Westhoughton was the venue for Northamptonshire's next T20 fixture against Lancashire. The home side totalled 144-6 with Graeme White taking 3-23. In response Northants could only reach 94-8.
Northamptonshire returned to 50-over action at Great Tew with the Unicorns their opponents. The home side were bowled out for 197 with Tom Sole claiming 4-45. David Murphy (55) top scored as a two wicket win was achieved with 7 balls to spare.
At the Nottinghamshire Sports Ground in Nottingham Northamptonshire suffered an abandonment and a no result in their two T20 matches. Just two overs were bowled.
At Worksop College the two counties were destined to meet a similar soggy fate as their three-day Championship match was completely washed out.
The weather also had the final say in the next Second Eleven Trophy match against Derbyshire at the County Ground. Again the match was completely washed out.
The two teams had better luck in the Championship match at the same venue. The visitors were inserted and made 308-9 declared. Poor weather caused Northamptonshire to declare at 148-5. In turn the Peakites declared their second innings at 163-3 to set 324 for Northants to win. Richard Levi made 100 from 97 on his comeback from injury. The match ended with the hosts 213-6.
Kibworth was the venue for the Trophy match against Leicestershire in early July. Recovering from 39-2 the home side reached 283-8 in their 50 overs. In reply Northants looked on course at 137-2 before collapsing to 193 all out in the 42nd over. The Northamptonshire top scorer was George Munsey who made 77.
THE STEELETOES
The team faced Oxfordshire at Great Oakley in a One Day Cup match in late May. Northamptonshire were dismissed for just 109 with Meera Patel (26) top-scoring. Oxfordshire won by seven wickets in just the 23rd over.
The following day the Steeletoes faced Cheshire at Horton. The vistors totalled 196-3 in their 50 overs, an innings dominated by Ellie Mason's unbeaten 109 with Bethan Soloman taking 2-19. 17-3 at one stage the home side recovered with Meera Patel (58) and Joanne Gardner (86) adding 139 for the fourth wicket. Victory was claimed by three wickets in the penultimate over.
Sywell was the venue for the visit of Derbyshire in mid-June but sadly the match was abandoned without a ball bowled.
The team travelled to Hertford for a T20 encounter with the home shire in late June. Hertfordshire totalled 98-6 with Meera Patel returning figures of 4-1-4-2. Patel (20) also top-scored but the side finished agonisingly short of victory on 93-8.
In their second T20 match at the same venue Northamptonshire faced Derbyshire. Batting first they totalled 109-5 with Gardner making an unbeaten 52. However this total was put in perspective with Derbyshire reaching their target for the loss of only two wickets in the 14th over.
DID YOU KNOW?
In their first innings of the Championship match against Essex at the County Ground Northamptonshire totalled 444 – exactly the same total as they made against the same opponents at the same venue last year. So it's feet firmly off the ground when the two teams next meet at Northampton.....
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I've recently read Gideon Haigh's book The Big Ship: a biography of Warwick Armstrong. It reminded me that Armstrong's 1921 Australian team defeated Northamptonshire by the small matter of an innings and 484 in two days (621 v 69 and 68). So things didn't go all that well for captain Reginald Raven and his team – but it could have been worse. In their next match Armstrong's men beat Nottinghamshire by an innings and 517 (Charlie Maccartney making 345)!
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Sean Terry's father Paul made two Test Match appearances for England in 1984. In the second (at Old Trafford) his arm was broken by future Northamptonshire paceman Winston Davis. He returned to the crease late in the England innings with his arm in a sling to help Allan Lamb reach his century. Paul Terry missed the rest of the 1984 season.
Incidentally Paul Terry has in recent times been Bangladesh's National Cricket Academy Director of Coaching, working with former Northamptonshire batsman Mal Loye.....
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The 1966 Test Series between England and the West Indies (in which Colin Milburn made his international debut) paused for a month between 5 July and 4 August to make way for the World Cup to be played. Of course England triumphed in that tournament (perhaps they were lucky that Iceland didn't qualify!)
Incidentally Northamptonshire defeated the tourists during that period of time (on 23 & 25 July) at the County Ground. The margin was four wickets. The highest innings total was the West Indies second innings 163. Milburn making 57 in Northants' first innings, the highest individual innings of the match.
I should relate that back in 2001 an Icelandic team did defeat an English side by 13 runs just outside Reykjavik. Perhaps I shouldn't mock too much.....
LOOKING BACK :THE JOHN PLAYER LEAGUE – PART ONE
Thirty years ago Northamptonshire played their final match in the John Player League. Although the competition would continue under different sponsorship it was very much the end of an era.
Sadly it was to be a competition that the county were destined not to win. When the 40 over league began in 1969 Northamptonshire would finish 14th in the final table with five wins and nine defeats in sixteen matches. This would unfortunately set the pattern for much of what was to follow.
In the opening match at the County Ground on 27 April 1969 Glamorgan's Alan Jones hit 28 off one over by Tony Durose. The visitors eventually won by 7 runs.
The first century for Northamptonshire in the JPL was an unbeaten 115 by South African Hylton Ackerman against Kent at Dover in 1970.
The County Ground in 1972 would see an extraordinary match with Middlesex dismissed for 76 and Northamptonshire all out for 41 in reply. High scoring – that's what limited overs cricket is about!
It was to be 1974 before Northants made an impact on the JPL by finishing fourth (this after finishing bottom the previous season) with ten wins and six defeats.
Bishen Bedi produced an excellent economical performace against Nottinghamshire at Brackley in 1975. His figures were 8-4-4-2.
Wellingborough School in 1979 saw the first instance of two batsman making centuries in the same innings – Wayne Larkins (111) and Peter Willey (101*) against Leicestershire.
Larkins was again in the runs three years later, making 158 against Worcestershire at Luton. 'Ned' would finish the JPL season with a total of 17 sixes to earn himself a £350 prize.
Luton was obviously a favourite venue for Larkins and Northants in the early eighties because the following season he made an unbeaten 172 from a total of 298-2 against Warwickshire. Fortunately the BBC TV cameras were there to witness this and the innings total remained the highest televised one in the JPL.
To be continued...
BILL HORSLEY
ISSUE NUMBER 178 - OCTOBER EDITORIAL
“A diplomat is a man who always remembers a woman's birthday but never remembers her age.” Robert Frost (1875-1963)
Much has happened since our last issue (apologies for the longer than usual gap). Firstly the Steelbacks have won the T20 competition for the second time. I cannot praise the team enough for their superb effort on Finals Day. Other counties have their stars we have a TEAM! Saying that I have to mention Alex Wakely who, after winning only one match in his first season in charge (2012) has led the team to two wins and one runners-up spot in the competition. History made – the first Northamptonshire captain to lift two major trophies.
Secondly the much anticipated EGM has taken place with a historic vote in favour of Northamptonshire ceasing to be a members club in order to become a limited company. It was good to see so many members attend this very important meeting and ask so many pertinent questions. The presentations made on the night gave a very compelling argument in favour of the change in the club's status. The vote was a decisive – 86% voting 'yes'. The way is now open for much needed investment, let's hope that it helps to ensure a bright future.
Thirdly there has been the vote which, at the time of writing suggests that a Franchise T20 competition is on its way. The fine detail of this and exactly what it means for counties like Northamptonshire who will not host a franchise have yet to be established though there has been much speculation.
For the second successive year Supporters Club members have voted Ben Duckett as Player of the Year. It is interesting to remember that although Ben appeared in the 2013 Twenty20 Final he only did so as a replacement for Kyle Coetzer and he did not bat – how times have changed! Well done Ben. What price a hat trick in 2017? Ben joins Mike Hussey, David Sales and David Willey as a two time winner of this award with only thrice honoured Tony Penberthy ahead of him. I must also mention that captain AlexWakely also featured strongly in the 2016 voting.
BILL HORSLEY
Editor
The opinions expressed by the authors of articles in this newsletter do not necessarily reflect those of the editor or Northamptonshire County Cricket Supporters Club
OCTOBER 2016 FE
FUTURE EVENTS
LUNCH & GUEST SPEAKER
Thursday 27 October
1pm
LUNCH & GUEST SPEAKER
TUESDAY 22 November
1pm
***Due to room non-availability November's Lunch will be on a Tuesday***
LUNCH & GUEST SPEAKER
Thursday 15 December
12.30pm
LUNCH & GUEST SPEAKER
Thursday 26 January
1pm
LUNCH & GUEST SPEAKER
Thursday 23 February
1pm
LUNCH & GUEST SPEAKER
Thursday 30 March
1pm
Additionally the Supporters Club AGM will be held in early 2017 – date to be advised.
NEWSLETTER PRINTING
Currently the Supporters Club are very lucky to have the newsletter printed free of charge. Unfortunately this situation is likely to change in 2017. This means that unless we find someone else who is prepared to carry out the printing for us for free we will have to pay for this going forward. The knock-on effect of this that we may be forced to increase the cost of Supporters Club membership as a result. If you know of anyone who would be prepared to print West Stand Story for free please let us know.
QUIZ
Which five Northamptonshire players played in both the 2013 and 2016 T20 winning teams?
Answer: Richard Levi, Alex Wakely, Steven Crook, Ben Duckett & Mohammed Azharullah.
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Northamptonshire County Cricket Supporters Club would like to thank Autohome for their assistance in the printing of this newsletter.
OCTOBER 2016
SEMI-FINAL STORY
From 1976 to 1997 Northamptonshire reached the amazing total of 15 semi-finals in either the Gillette Cup, Nat West Trophy or Benson and Hedges Cup.The cricket authorities were not very good at giving a home tie for the County as they had just three semi-finals at home while they were handed twelve away ties in the last four of these competitions.
Northants entertained Kent in the semi-finals of the Benson & Hedges Cup on Wednesday 22nd June , were at home to Lancashire in the last four of the Nat West Trophy on Wednesday 19th August 1981 and they hosted Warwickshire in the semi-final of the Benson and Hedges Cup. The Steelbacks' tie at home to The Bears was spread over two days due to poor weather on Tuesday 11th June and Wednesday 12th June 1996.
Wednesday 18th August 1976 was an historic day because Northamptonshire beat Hampshire at Southampton to reach the Gillette Cup for the first time in the Club's history. It got even better seventeen days later when the County defeated Lancashire to win the competition in the Lord's final on Saturday 4th September 1976.
Three years later Northants travelled to Hove and beat Sussex in the semi-final of the Gillette Cup on Wednesday 22nd August 1979. Another successful semi-final for the County came when they won in the Benson & Hedges Cup beating Middlesex at Lord's on Wednesday 25th June 1980. Unfortunately their next semi-final appearance against the same opponents at the same venue was not so successful when they lost the Nat West semi-final to Middlesex on Wednesday 15th August 1984.
In 1987 Northamptonshire were very successful when they had two semi-finals away and won both. They beat Kent at Canterbury in the B & H on Wednesday 10th June and won at Grace Road against Leicestershire on Wednesday 12th August.
In 1990 the County were away yet again in a semi-final and once again they were victorious, beating Hampshire by two runs at Southampton on Wednesday 15th August. The cricket authorities provide them with another semi-final away from home in 1991. Considering that the old Test & County Cricket Board had given them their fifth successive semi-final away they probably thought there was a good chance Northants would be beaten and this was proved correct when Surrey beat them at The Oval over two days on Wednesday 14th August and Thursday 15th August.
A year later the County amazingly got to another semi-final. So the TCCB thought that they would give them another away tie. They went to Edgbaston and the Steelbacks defeated Warwickshire on Wednesday 12th and Thursday 13th August 1992.
The golden years of Allan Lamb's captaincy produced another semi-final in 1993 and once again the TCCB gave them an away tie and unfortunately Northants were beaten at Derby in the Benson & Hedges Cup on Tuesday 7th June. Two years later the team, thanks to the likes of Lamb, Rob Bailey and Anil Kumble silenced at 19,000 Headingley crowd as the Tudor Rose won an epic Nat West Trophy semi-final on Tuesday 15th August 1995.
From 1976 to 1997 theit tweth away tie in fifteen semi-finals saw Northants lose at Kent in the Benson & Hedges Cup on Tuesday 10th June 1997.
It is amazing that during his career at Wantage Road from 1978 to 1995 Allan Lamb played in twelve semi-finals for the County and eleven of these ties were away from home. The Lancashire match at the County Ground in 1981, well known for the winning last wicket partnership between Jim Griffiths and Tim Lamb was the only time that A J Lamb played in a semi-final at Northampton.
Incredibly Peter Willey played for Norhants from 1966 to 1983 and despite considerable success such as the Man of the Match award in the 1976 Gillette Cup Final, he played only one semi-final at home. That was the Benson & Hedges Cup tie against Kent in 1977. His only other opportunity was to play at home was in the Nat West Trophy against Lancashire in 1981. Sadly a broken finger prevented him from playing in this big occasion during his benefit year
JOHN CLARK
A BIG THANK YOU
The raffle held during the Royal London One Day Cup match against Derbyshire on Sunday 31 July raised £601. Our tombola, which was held over the weekend of 13 and 14 August during the first two days of the Championship match against Leicestershire realised a total of £269. We would like to thank everyone who donated prizes and who bought tickets. Thank you for making both events such a success.
NEWS
It is my sad duty to inform you of the death of long time Northamptonshire supporter Gethin Jones whose funeral took place on 1st September.
I also have to report that Arch Garrett has died. His funeral was held on 4th October.
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As you may be aware Northamptonshire were the featured county in the Summer 2016 edition of The Cricketer. This included a nominated 'Best Northants XI' as follows; Dennis Brookes, Mike Hussey, Allan Lamb, Colin Milburn, Mushtaq Mohammad, George Tribe, George Thompson, Frank Tyson, Sarfraz Nawaz, Keith Andrew, 'Nobby' Clark. The same edition also included Freddie Brown in a selection of XI Test cricketers who were born outside the Test playing world.
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The featured county championship match in the August edition of The Cricketer was the fixture at Arundel between Sussex and Northamptonshire played in late June. The same magazine also contained an article on Ben Duckett and included former Northants batsman Usman Afzaal in their XI state school cricketers who have made the England team.
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Both Ben Duckett and Graeme White have been invited to take part in the North v South three match series which takes place in the UAE in March. White has also signed a new two-year contract with Northamptonshire. At least one North v South was a feature of the domestic cricke season between 1836 and 1961. The 1961 match at Blackpool featured Keith Andrew for the North and Roger Prideaux (then a Kent player) for the South.+
White has also signed a new two-year contract with Northamptonshire. He originally joined the Academy as a 14 year-old in 2001 and remained on the county staff until joining Nottinghamshire in 2010. He returned to Northamptonshire, initially on a loan basis in 2013.
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Olly Stone has signed a three year deal with Warwickshire. The 22 year old spent most of the 2016 sidelined with injury. Stone was injured immediately after taking the wicket of Moeen Ali in the T20 match between Northamptonshire and Worcestershire at the County Ground. He has taken 72 wickets @ 30.69 in 25 first-class matches.
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Ben Duckett enjoyed a very productive Tri-Series for England Lions against the Pakistan and Sri Lanka A teams. He hit 163* against Pakistan at Cheltenham, 61 v Sri Lanka at the County Ground, 4 v Pakistan and 220* v Sri Lanka at Canterbury. England won the tournament, winning all their matches.
Duckett was also named in the shortlist of Specsavers One to Watch. All contenders had to have been under 23 and not to have represented England or England Lions at the start of the County Championship back in April.
Ben was then named in both the England Test and One Day squads for the tour of Bangladesh.
The BBC named Ben in their 'County Cricket Team of the Season', alongside former Northants bowler Jack Brooks.
Ben was also a member of the Cricket United XI, along with Monty Panesar who took on a Surrey All Stars team at The Oval in a floodlit match on Thursday 22 September.
Ben has also signed a new contract extension with Northamptonshire which means that he will stay with the county until the end of the 2018 season.
In late September Ben became the first Northamptonshire player since Rob Bailey (1984) to be named the Cricket Writers' Young Cricketer of the Year.
Following this he became the first cricketer to be named both Professional Cricketers Association Young Cricketer and Players' Player of the Year for the same season.
Former Northamptonshire batsman Mal Loye won the PCA's award as England Masters MVP for 2016.
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Josh Cobb has signed a new three-year contract with Northamptonshire. Cobb joined the county from Leicestershire for the 2015 and marked his signing with a Man of the Match performance in the T20 Blast Final at Edgbaston.
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Ben Sanderson has also signed a new three-year deal with the club. The Sheffield-born seam bowler has turned in some impressive performances this season, including 7-22 against Glamorgan at Swansea and 3-31 against Durham Jets in the T20 Blast Final at Edgbaston.
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Additionally it has been announced that Rory Kleinveldt has extended his contract with Northamptonshire by another year. Rory was also presented with his county cap in September.
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A new face at Wantage Road next season will be seam bowler Nathan Buck. The 25 year-old has joined on a three-year contract from Lancashire. He began his county career with his native Leicestershire and has also played for England Lions.
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Old Northamptonians CC (the 'ONs') captained by former Northamptonshire batsman Rob White have won the Northamptonshire Cricket League Premier Division title. They finished 49 points ahead of their nearest challengers Peterborough Town
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When The Eye Has Gone by Dougie Blaxland a new drama about the last hours of Northamptonshire and England batsman Colin Milburn will be staged at the County Ground on Thursday 24 November. The play will be going on tour for four weeks taking in all 18 first-class county grounds. The play is being staged with the assistance of the Professional Cricketers' Association. Tickets cost £10 for adults and £8 for concessions. To book visit www.ticketsource.co.uk/the-professional-cricketers-association.
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The Final of the Royal London National Club Knockout competition was played at the County Ground on Sunday 18 September. South Northumberland CC (159) were the victors defeating Swardeston (84) from Norfolk in a low-scoring match. Swardeston are the former club of Rob Newton, former staff member Shaun 'Bud' Bailey and current Northants Second Eleven player Matt Taylor played for them in the match.
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Former Northamptonshire and Australia batsman Chris Rogers has retired from first-class cricket. The 39 year-old captained Somerset during the 2016 season and had previously also played for Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Middlesex.
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James Kettleborough has left Glamorgan after two seasons with the Welsh county. Kettleborough left Northamptonshire after the 2014. He made just three appearances for his new club.
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Graeme White finished in top spot in the Professional Cricketers Association Most Valuable Player table for the Royal London One Day Cup. He was duly presented with the award of Player of the Year for this competition at the PCA's Award Dinner.
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Northamptonshire will face South Africa in a One Day match on Sunday 21 May 2017. This match will form part of the tourists' build up to their limited overs series against England.
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Two more players re-signing are David Murphy and Rob Newton. Both have extended their contracts to the end of the 2017 season.
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The County Ground will be hosting the Northampton Winter Food Festival on 12 and 13 November. Tickets are £8 on the door and £6 in advance. Children over ten years old are £3.
DID YOU KNOW?
Colin Milburn was the subject of the Thames Television programme 'This Is Your Life' presented by Eamon Andrews on 8 April 1970.
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Former Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire and England all rounder Graeme Swann was Sarah Walker's guest on BBC Radio 3's Essential Classics in September.
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Russell Warren (formerly of Northamptonshire and Nottinghamshire) is continuing his career as an umpire. In 2016 he stood in the tour match between Sussex and Pakistan at Hove and in the final of the women's Kia Super League T20 competition at Chelmsford.
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Former West Indies, Northamptonshire and Essex leg spinner Carlos 'Bertie' Clark was the man who helped to get John Holder (later a Test umpire) into first-class cricket.
SECOND ELEVEN
Northamptonshire Second Eleven's season continued with a Trophy 50 over match against Durham at Chester-Le-Street. The hosts posted a huge total of 349-1 with three batsmen (including Phil Mustard) hitting centuriues. In reply Northants were never in the hunt and were bowled out for 234 despite an unbeaten 91 from David Murphy.
In the Championship match between the two teams the second day was lost to weather causing there to be three declarations to set Northants to chase 332 to win. Sadly they were bowled out for 144 to lose by 187 runs.
In their next Championship fixture Northamptonshire faced Warwickshire at Rugby School. Batting first the side totalled 274 with Saif Zaib top scoring with 62. A narrow lead was gained with Warwickshire bowled out for 270 (Moin Ashraf 3-41). In the second innings the Zaib (92) and David Murphy (113) were the major contributors to a total of 289-7. The match was drawn.
Market Harborough was the venue for the next Championship match against Yorkshire in early August. Northants were dismissed for just 176 in their first innings. The visitors declared at 100-2 before bowling out Norhants cheaply again for 143. Left 220 to win Yorkshire were indebted to Waite who made an unbeaten 103. They won by three wickets.
The next Championship visitors were MCC Universities who were hosted at Desborough Town. Despite 4-52 by Chad Barrett the Unis were able to declare at 302-9. The Northants reply rested heavily on Charlie Home who hit 122 out of 245. MCC were able to declare again at 277-3 to set a victory target of 335. At 29-5 a heavy defeat loomed by an unbeaten 77 from Luke Paternott helped the side bat out time to reach 184-8.
The final Trophy match of the season was against Nottinghamshire at Finedon. In their 50 overs Notts racked up 332-5. In reply Northants could manage only 203 ( HR Adair 80).
In late August the Second Eleven joined forces with their Kent counterparts to face Scotland A at the County Ground. Batting first the combined team made 216 with Saif Zaib hitting 67. The Scots were bowled out for 255. In their second innings Kent & Northamptonshire totalled 225 to leave Scotland A with a victory target of 187. This they achieved for the loss of five wickets.
REFLECTIONS ON ANOTHER RAINY DAY IN BIRMINGHAM
Saturday 20th August 2016 will go down as another great day in the history of Northamptonshire County Cricket Club as the Steelbacks took the T20 title for the second time.
As in 2013 we set off to Birmingham well aware of the poor weather forecast that suggested it was unlikely that all three scheduled matches would escape unscathed from the rain. Yet, although it was hardly a classic summer's day some careful re-scheduling by the organisers ensured that both the semi-finals and final were played over the full duration.
Prior to the day itself team news hardly seemed to
indicate that a Northamptonshire triumph was in the offing. Whilst Durham, Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire were welcoming back their England stars and Notts were signing up Andre Russell, Northamptonshire were resigning themselves to competing without Seekkuge Prasanna (recalled by Sri Lanka for their limited overs series against Australia) and Richard Gleeson (unfortunate to be injured in the Royal London Cup quarter-final against Surrey two days earlier).
Yet as so often this season the Steelbacks rose to the occasion. The team had never defeated Notts in a twenty over match but finally did so when it mattered most. The partnership of Ben Duckett and Alex Wakely was the key to setting a defendable total. Dre Russ looked to be winning the match for Notts on his own before being superbly caught by Rob Keogh. Notts' England stars Stuart Broad and Alex Hales did not provide the expected X factor for them. Joy and relief at an 8-run victory followed.
The rainy afternoon continued with the mascots race in which Steeler proved that Usain Bolt has little to worry about from his direction. Durham who had defeated an in form Gloucestershire at Bristol in the quarter-final, upset the odds again to defeat Yorkshire's stellar constallation of stars. There was to be no showdown for us with David Willey (formerly of this parish) who, as it happened sustained a hand injury which was to put him out of England's opening one-day match with Pakistan.
And so to the final. Durham's danger man Ben Stokes would also be well caught by Keogh and Keaton Jennings' dismissal probably shaved a good ten runs off their total. Another poor start by the Steelbacks was again rescued by Wakely and man of the match Josh Cobb. This being a Northamptonshire team their had to be a few jitters toward the end before Rob Keogh hit the winning boundary to spark wild jubilation.
The presentations took place as the heavens opened but did we care (especially not me as it washed off the beer I had been showered in slightly earlier!)? I must mention the great spirit and support shown by the Steelbacks supporters during the day. The fact that most of us were located in one block in the Motopoint Stand really helped us to get behind the team and I'm sure that this was much appreciated.
The day ended with another wet drive home. A damp day but another glorious one. Little Northamptonshire had again taken on the big boys and won!
Postscript :There seems to be a link between the T20 Blast Trophy and rain. It was presented in the rain, it was paraded round Franklin's Gardens in the rain and the weather for the open-top bus trip? You guessed it. Incidentally that Saturday lunchtime (10 September) saw the open-top bus* in close proximity to several vintage counterparts who were involved in the Heritage Open Days. If that wasn't enough a horse-drawn carriage (carrying a newly married couple) was also in close attendance. (I understand that when the trophy was paraded at Sixfields Stadium the weather was fine.)
* The bus normally does duty around the streets of Stratford-upon-Avon – did the Bard or even the Bears know that it was on loan?
BILL HORSLEY
A BLAST FROM THE PAST
A T20 win and the Final is done,
The trophy is ours once again,
It's the end of the season, with the good and the bad,
The trauma, the triumph – the rain.
The season's finale and hard to believe,
That we have the glory at last,
So thanks to the team for a great season's end,
Once again winning the T20 Blast.
FLORENCE NICHOLSON
NCCC ITEMS FOR SALE
We have received the following from Ian Anderson of Cricket Deal Direct:
MKK / NCCC Polo shirts – if I recall we used to sell these for £32.00 in the shop – we have 14 in total – 9 x Small, 3 x Extra Small, 1 x Size 9/10 and 1 x 5/6 = all can be sold at £15.00 to clear plus postage.
Our own brand NCCC polo shirts – 3 in total 2 x Small, 1 x Extra Small – was £16.00 - £6.00 to clear plus postage
Various NCCC onesies – were £25.00 – all at £10.00 to clear plus postage
Junior NCCC raincoats – 2 @ £5.00 plus postage
1 x Junior MKK / NCCC Junior Hoodie - £10.00 plus postage to clear
NCCC engraved shot glasses – were £10.00 – to clear at £3.00 each
If anybody is interested they can contact me direct on 07711 681136.
2016
What a remarkable season it was!. Doom and gloom became boom and zoom as the squad and the occasional loanee raised the performance levels to great heights.
Early on it was tempting to believe the pundits predicting the division 2 wooden spoon. The season really took off when the T20 did.
It would be easy to pick out the individuals who made the greatest impact, but the key to success was teamwork. The fielding was as good as I’ve ever seen from a Tudor rose team, sharpened up by the demands of white ball cricket. Great catches were taken, especially on T20 finals day, but the standard was generally high. Much was made in the media of the stouter squad members, but cricket remains a game accomodating all shapes and sizes, which used to be a claim made by rugby afficianados.
Picking a favourite moment is very difficult. Certainly white ball favourite moments are many, but the red ball produced wonderful memories too. I was fortunate to witness the first championship win of the season at Swansea, and Ben Sanderson’s superb bowling. I wonder if Rory Kleinveldt’s 100% record as skipper will continue. He had a great all round match . His first innings 91 from 88 balls was a mixture of restraint and savage hitting, when it was boundaries all the way once he passed 50.
My personal red ball highlight was watching Ben Duckett and Rob Newton put on 167 for the first wicket at home to Essex.
White ball highlights were numerous and as well as quality batting and bowling, there was some remarkable fielding. If pushed, Rob Keogh’s wonderful catch in the T20 semi final, to remove the Outlaws’ Dr Dre (Andre Russell) as his clean and measured hitting threatened to sink us, was my chart topping moment.
My favourite moment of all, was watching the stampede of support players and staff to congratulate the two batsmen as Rob Keogh scored the winning runs in the final. Never seen Rob Newton run that fast!
The three championship wins to end the season were tremendous, and I listened to some of BBC Northampton’s commentary over breakfast while away in Vancouver. It was a great way to start the day although hearing the Saints lose to Saracens was disappointing.
There is much to build on in 2017. Liked the look of Saif Zaib scoring a 50 at Swansea, rejoiced in the success of Ben Sanderson and Richard Gleeson, and was delighted to see the spin twins, Keogh and White making their marks. Ben Duckett took batting in all forms to a new high, and I’m wondering if he may rank with Lamb and Hussey one day among modern Northamptonshire batsmen.
Already 2017 is an appetising prospect. The news that Ben Duckett is staying is encouraging and only the loss of Olly Stone is a disappointment. Let’s hope for an even better season in all formats.
MICHAEL WELLS
ALAN HODGSON
Just as I was completing this WSS came the sad news of Hodge's death. I aim to pay full tribute in the next edition.
ISSUE NUMBER 179 - DECEMBER EDITORIAL
WEST STAND STORY
THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE COUNTY CRICKET SUPPORTERS CLUB
FOUNDED 1988
northantscricket.com/community/nccc supporters club
Chairman: Trevor Bailey, 41 Debdale Road, Northampton NN3 2TR Telephone (01604) 409371 Email:
Secretary & Treasurer: Mrs Linda Fisher, 110 Denmark Street, Bedford. Telephone: 07989844171 Email:
Membership Secretary: Dianne Ward, 97 Purser Road, Abington, Northampton NN1 4PG. Telephone: (01604) 281264. Email:
Newsletter Editor: Bill Horsley, 10 Delamere Road, Northampton NN4 8QG. Telephone: (01604) 765780. Email: .
Committee members; Sheila Kent, Jim Finney and Michael Wells.
ISSUE NUMBER 179 – DECEMBER 2016
EDITORIAL
“Be not afraid of growing slowly, be afraid only of standing still.” - Chinese Proverb.
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The achievement of Ben Duckett in being selected for the England Test Match Team should not be underestimated. It proves that if a cricketer is talented enough if it does not matter which county he plays for or which Division of the County Championship he plays his cricket in. This newsletter has had to be put together some time before you are reading it and at the time of writing Ben has struggled to make an impact in the highest form of the game (besides his explosive fifty in the Second Test in Bangladesh). I hope that by the time you read these words he has had the chance to turn things around.
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Unfortunately next season's fixtures (besides the South Africa match) were unknown at the time of writing. We know that there will be two fewer County Championship matches next season and that the final of the 50 over competition will be in July not September. Other than that the details have to be filled in. Personally I am sad to see a reduction in the amount of first-class cricket. To me a gripping rearguard action to save the match on the final day beats a T20 match every day. Sadly I am in the minority. Should we be glad that T20 has filled county grounds and brought much revenue into the game or should we be sad that first-class cricket is diminishing? You cannot blame administrators for placing increasing emphasis on the more popular form of cricket.
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It now seems likely that the T20 franchise competition will not start until 2020. Some more detail has emerged and it appears that matches may not be confined to test match grounds. It is possible that Wantage Road might stage a game or two. Further information will, no doubt, emerge. As always the devil is in the detail.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
BILL HORSLEY
Editor
The opinions expressed by the authors of articles in this newsletter do not necessarily reflect those of the editor or Northamptonshire County Cricket Supporters Club
DECEMBER 2016 FE
FUTURE EVENTS
LUNCH & GUEST SPEAKER
Thursday 26 January
1pm
LUNCH & GUEST SPEAKER
Thursday 23 February
1pm
LUNCH & GUEST SPEAKER
Thursday 30 March
1pm
Additionally the Supporters Club AGM will be held in early 2017 – date to be advised.
NEWSLETTER PRINTING
Currently the Supporters Club are very lucky to have the newsletter printed free of charge. Unfortunately this situation will change with the next newsletter. This means that unless we find someone else who is prepared to carry out the printing for us for free we will have to pay for this going forward. The knock-on effect of this that we may be forced to increase the cost of Supporters Club membership as a result. If you know of anyone who would be prepared to print West Stand Story for free please let us know.
QUIZ
Of the 24:
Answers : 1. George Thompson, Vallance Jupp, Nobby Clark, Fred Bakewell, Dennis Brookes, Freddie Brown, Keith Andrew, Frank Tyson, Raman Subba Row, David Larter, Colin Milburn, Roger Prideaux, Bob Cottam, David Steele, Peter Willey, Wayne Larkins, Geoff Cook, Allan Lamb, Nick Cook, David Capel, Robert Bailey, Paul Taylor, Monty Panesar. 2. Two – Freddie Brown and Allan Lamb.3. Five – Vallance Jupp (Sussex), Bob Cottam (Hampshire), Peter Willey (Leicestershire), Nick Cook (Leicestershire), Monty Panesar (Sussex and Essex), 4. Three - Freddie Brown (Peru), David Larter (Scotland), Allan Lamb (South Africa), 5. Six – Fred Bakewell, Allan Lamb, Colin Milburn, David Steele, Raman Subba Row, Peter Willey. 6.Allan Lamb (79), 7. Frank Tyson (7-27 against Australia at Melbourne 1954-55), 8. Allan Lamb (142 v New Zealand at Wellington 1992)
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Northamptonshire County Cricket Supporters Club would like to thank Autohome and Michael Wells for their assistance in the printing of this newsletter and many others over the years
DECEMBER 2016
JOHN PLAYER LEAGUE REMEMBERED – PART TWO
In a 1984 televised match at Bristol Robin Boyd-Moss had the misfortune to be out for 99. It was to prove his highest score in the JPL.
An even higher total was achieved against Surrey at Guildford in 1985 – 306-2. This time BBC TV weren't present but I was! Happy memories of the petrol station across the road from the ground being peppered on a sunny August Sunday.
On the last Sunday of the 1985 JPL Northants were in contention for the title. We needed to win at Worcester and have the other results go our way. Sadly the match was lost, the other results also didn't go our waty and the finishing position was fifth.
The final season of the JPL in 1986 would see the county on the receiving end of a memorable batting onslaught. At Wellingborough School Ian Botham, returning from a ban hit an unbeaten 175 in a match reduced to 39 overs a side. This reduction, caused by a brief mid-innings shower was crucial as it prevented 'Beefy' from overhaulling Graham Gooch's record score. He needed just two more runs to beat it. Ironically further rain caused the match to ended as a 'no result' and the two points gained put Northamptonshire top of the table that night! Sadly they slipped to fifth in the final table.
I must also mention the match against Middlesex at Tring in 1980. In this televised match Sarfaz Nawaz (5-31) and Neil Mallender (5-34) became the only pair of bowlers to both take five wickets in the same JPL innings.
Northants' final JPL match was a seven-wicket defeat at Trent Bridge on 14 September 1986.
Despite our lack of success I have fond memories of the JPL. Firstly from watching matches on the TV with my dad, then in the latter years of the competition seeing them live. It's what got me into cricket watching. Happy days.
BILL HORSLEY
THE STEELETOES
July began for The Steeletoes with back to back Twenty20 matches at the County Ground. In the first match Devon made 131-5. Norhants were then bowled out for just 23 in the 12th over. The second match brought a better result with Cheshire contained to 67-8 in their 20 overs. The Steeletoes lost just three wickets in gaining victory in the 17th over.
Chesterton was the venue for the team's next pair of T20 matches. Batting first against Cornwall Northants totalled 104-6 and then contained the Cornish to 62-7. In the second game Oxfordshire made 93-8. Joanne Gardner then hit an unbeaten 55 as the Steeletoes claimed a five wicket win the 17th over.
Geddington played host to the next pair of T20 matches. Scotland Women made 143-4 but in reply Northants could muster only 72-9. The second match saw Shropshire contained to 91-7 with an unbeaten 33 from Sophie Bendon tajing Northants to a six-wicket win in the 17th over.
Returning to the Royal London One Day Cup Norhants faced Norfolk at Sheringham. The home side were bowled out for 111 with Patricia Hankins taking 5-13. Northants went on to win by three wickets in the 32nd over.
The match against Gloucestershire at Finedon was abandoned without a ball bowled.
The Steeletoes travelled to Durham in early September. In their 42 overs the home side made 140-8. However no batsman made double figures as Northants were bowled out for 43.
ALAN HODGSON
'Hodge' died suddenly on 6 October and he will be much missed. A regular at the County Ground for many years. I last saw him there during the match between South Northumberland and Swardeston a little over two weeks earlier.
He was born in County Durham on 27 October 1951, joining the Northamptonshire staff as a 16-year-old in 1968 – and made his debut for the first team against Cambridge University two years later.
Alan made a total of 99 first-class appearances, claiming 206 wickets at 28.95. His figures of 7-39 against Somerset at Northampton in 1976, included a hat-trick to finish the match. This was a record for Northamptonshire in the John Player League. That same summer he was a member of the Northamptonshire side which won the Gillette Cup.
The following summer – also in the JPL he took 6-22 against Derbyshire. Also in 1977 he shared in another piece of County history when he (3-17), Sarfraz (6-8) and Jim Griffiths (1-4) joined forces to skittle Lancashire for just 33 on the first morning of a Championship match. (Unfortunately they made the small matter of 501 in the second innings...)
A serious back injury ended his county career and he left the Northamptonshire staff in 1979. Alan went on to captain Old Northamptonians to the Northants County League title in both 1983 and 1984 (he also skippered the ONs’ rugby team) after a spell at Overstone Park. He subsequently returned to Northamptonshire CCC to coach young cricketers and run the County Colts side, and in 1998 was appointed manager of the new Lynn Wilson Indoor Centre.
His off the field efforts also embraced local league administration and in 2003 he became the first vice-chairman of the Northamptonshire Cricket League, having played an important role in bringing together the four existing leagues under the single NCL umbrella.
Alan contributed much material and insight to the play about Colin Milburn’s life – ‘When the Eye Has Gone’ – written by James Graham-Brown in association with the PCA and which was performed at the County Ground on 24 November and which has toured cricket grounds throughout the country.
Alan Hodgson's funeral took place at All Saints Church in Northampton on 24th October.
N.B. Much of the above is an edited version of the obituary which appeared on the Northamptonshire CCC website – with acknowledgements to that source.
2016 – STATISTICAL HIGHLIGHTS
Ben Duckett hit the highest innings of the season - 282* in the opening match of the Championship season against Sussex at the County Ground.
9-52 by Rob Keogh against Glamorgan at the County Ground was the second best bowling of the Championship season. Ben Sanderson claimed both the third and fourth best bowling (8-73 v Gloucestershire at the County Ground and 7-22 v Glamorgan at Swansea).
Duckett had the 7th best batting average (60.81) in Division Two whilst Sanderson registered the 4th best bowling average (21.03).
Duckett was also the 4th fastest scorer in the Championship (79.45) with Adam Rossington (77.11) in 6th place.
Graeme White (2.62) was the 8th most economical Championship bowler.
NEWS
Long time NCCC member John Partridge of Long Buckby died on 11 October at the age of 85. His funeral took place at St Lawrence Church, Long Buckby on 31 October.
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It is also my sad duty to report that long time Northamptonshire and Peterborough United supporter Richard Hastings of Wellingborough died on 27 October at the age of 71. His funeral took place on 14 November at Wellingborough Crematorium.
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Northamptonshire will again be making a pre-season tour of Barbados. This commences on 12th March. Supporters packages are available and details can be found on the Northamptonshire website.
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The Professional Cricketers Association (PCA) advised English players against taking up a contract in the Bangladesh Premier League due to security concerns. County players who played in the competition included Northamptonshire's Josh Cobb and Richard Gleeson. Cobb was with the Barisal Bulls and Gleeson with Rangpur Riders. Unfortunately Cobb's time in Bangladesh was cut short when he sustained a cartilage tear in his right knee. He will now be concentrating on getting fit for the 2017 season.
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Northamptonshire captain Alex Wakely, Ben Sanderson, Rob Keogh, Rob Newton and Mohammed Azharullah, plus former county player Bilal Shafayat were all members of the Montgomery Sports Management squad which took part in the 2X Cricket USA Cup tournament in November. This competition – which featured sides batting for two 10-over stints – was staged at the Moosa Stadium near Houston, Texas, USA.
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Former Northamptonshire wicketkeeper Wayne Noon is leaving Nottinghamshire after 22 years as player and coach at Trent Bridge.
THE BACKROOM BOYS
After I’d finished my piece about the 2016 season, I was devastated to realise I hadn't mentioned the support team off the pitch, without whom very little would have been possible.
Having followed David Ripley’s career since his first team debut in 1984, it's wonderful to witness his success off the field. His wicket keeping should have brought him representative honours, and his batting was well above average. In white ball cricket, he had an uncanny ability to find gaps in the field, and his 9 tons and 34 50s suggest a standard above a lower order batsman.
I was privileged to see most of his 209 against Glamorgan when he and Mal Loye put on 401 to save a match which looked a certain defeat.
His management team have performed well considering the T20 successes and the late blossoming in the championship last season.
Kevin Innes I saw play for Northants and he was a useful all rounder who had the misfortune to compete against David Capel, Kevin Curran and latterly Graeme Swann, for a place in the team. His role as performance coach has been very important in developing the squad.
Phil Rowe’s coaching has been vital and the back up of the conditioning coaches, Chris Toombs and Mike Fernandino has kept the players as fit as they have been for quite some time. Barry Goudriaan has tended the wounded when necessary and his work kept a nucleus of the squad in action when it mattered.
The man I felt I should have mentioned previously is the link between coaches and players, the skipper. Alex Wakeley has developed into shrewd operator, whose thoughtful approach has moulded a happy successful squad. Most of all, it was his calm, selective batting which laid the foundations of the T20 success last August. Ben Duckett and Josh Cobb picked up the Man of the Match awards, but in the semi and the final, it was Alex who held the innings together after the dreaded 15-3.
I believe his most important quality is his unflappable temperament which gives him the ability to think clearly when others may not be. His cool head allowed him to play those two vital innings at Edgbaston and I loved his fierce concentration and composure, which was suddenly interrupted by a languid straight six. That takes a special kind of batsman.
The upshot is a closely knit squad, small but perfectly formed. May they improve and prosper in 2017.
MICHAEL WELLS
NOT THE FULL STORY...
The Northamptonshire website has reminded me that Ben Duckett is the 24th Northamptonshire CCC player to play Test Cricket for England. Please see the Quiz on the back page! However this is by no means the full story of the county's England Test connection. There is a more select list and one that Kent-born Duckett can't add himself to – Northamptonshire-born England cricketers.
Back at the dawn of Test Cricket Charles Studd became the first Northamptonshire-born cricketer to play for his country. Studd first saw the light of day at Spratton on 2 December 1860. He played in the 1882 Oval Test in which the Ashes were first lost. Studd (playing alongside his Wiltshire-born brother George) redeemed himself by being a member of Ivo Bligh's team which regained them the following winter. These were to be the only tests that he would play, going on to become a missionary in China, Indian and finally the Belgian Congo where he died in 1931. (N.B. He must be one of the few Northamptonshire related cricketers to have ended his days in this country.) (160 test runs @ 20.00)
Studd never played for the county but the next player on the list Middleton Cheney's Arthur Mold did. Mold topped and tailed his career with minor counties appearances for the county of his birth but his prime cricketing years were with Lancashire. He played in all three tests of the 1893 Ashes series with his best bowling being 3-44 in the drawn Lord's Test. Mold died at Middleton Cheney in 1921. (7 test wickets @ 33.42)
Finally in 1909 a Northamptonshire man played for England whilst a first-class cricket with his native county. George Thompson appeared in that year's first Ashes Test. This was to prove his only 'home' Test but he did appear in all five tests on England's tour of South Africa the following winter (with a highest innings of 63 at Johannesburg and best bowling of 4-50 at Cape Town). Although Thompson lived much of his life in Cogenhoe and is commemorated by a plaque there he was born in Northampton. He died in 1943. (273 runs @ 30.33, 23 wickets @ 27.73)
There was then something of a gap before the next Northamptonshire-born man played for his country. Finally in 1987 David Capel (Northampton) was selected against Pakistan in the Third Test at Headingley. He marked the occasion by hitting 53. His highest test innings of 98 came against the same opponents a few months later at Karachi. In total 'Capes' played in 15 tests, ending with the West Indies tour in 1990. (On a separate note Capel appeared in 23 one-day internationals for England, none of them in the UK, a extraordinary statistic.) (374 runs @ 15.58, 21 wickets @ 50.66)
Moulton's Ian Salisbury spent his county career with Sussex, Surrey and Warwickshire. In total he appeared in 25 tests between 1992 and 2000. His highest test innings was 50 against Pakistan at Old Trafford in 1992. Against the West Indies at Georgetown in 1994 he took 4-163 but would probably prefer to remember his 3-49 against Pakistan at Lord's in 1992. (368 runs @ 16.72, 20 wickets @ 76.95)
After an initial one day international appearance as a Northamptonshire player Graeme Swann (Northampton) made all his Test Match appearances as a Nottinghamshire player. Swann amassed a total of 60 Test appearances between 2008 and 2013. During this run his highest innings was 85 against South Africa at Centurion in 2009, whilst his best bowling was 6-65 against Pakistan at Edgbaston in 2010. In all Swann claimed 255 Test wickets (29.96) which currently puts him in 7th place in the list of England's all time top Test Match wicket takers. (Monty Panesar is 20th in this list) (1370 runs @ 22.09)
Who will be the next Northamptonshire-born Test Cricketer? And will he play out his county career at Wantage Road?
BILL HORSLEY
NANCY AND PETER VALENTINE
A group of us, which included members of the Valentine/Williams families, gathered at the Memorial Garden at the County Ground on 19 November to say our final farewells to Nancy Valentine and her son, Peter. Their ashes were scattered there during a short service of remembrance.
Both were avid life-long supporters of Northamptonshire County Cricket Club. Nancy died in 2010 at the age of 88. Her son, Peter, followed her in May of this year at the age of 72.
Nancy and Peter Valentine are both sadly missed.
JILL GIBB
This is the 179th edition of West Stand Story and the 179th cricketer to make his debut for Northamptonshire was Geoffrey Bourke Cuthbertson who captained the county in both 1936 and 1937 but never led them to victory.
ISSUE NUMBER 180 – FEBRUARY EDITORIAL
WEST STAND STORY
THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE COUNTY CRICKET SUPPORTERS CLUB
FOUNDED 1988
northantscricket.com/community/nccc supporters club
Secretary & Treasurer: Mrs Linda Fisher, 110 Denmark Street, Bedford. Telephone: 07989844171 Email:
Membership Secretary: Dianne Ward, 97 Purser Road, Abington, Northampton NN1 4PG. Telephone: (01604) 281264. Email:
Newsletter Editor: Bill Horsley, 10 Delamere Road, Northampton NN4 8QG. Telephone: (01604) 765780. Email: .
Committee members; Sheila Kent, Jim Finney and Michael Wells.
ISSUE NUMBER 180 – FEBRUARY 2017
EDITORIAL
“Seize the moments of happiness, love and be loved! That is the only reality in the world, all else is folly.” - Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910) from War and Peace
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It has been a sad start to 2017 for us with the death of our Chairman Trevor Bailey following not long after that of former committee member Hazel Church. Both are remembered within these pages. Trevor's funeral will take place on Friday 3 March at 1.30pm at St. Alban's Church, Broadmead Avenue, Northampton NN3 2QA.
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The 2017 cricket season will soon be with us with the first fixture being a three-day match against Loughborough UCCE which commences on Sunday 2 April. The opening County Championship fixture, with Glamorgan visiting the County Ground commences the following Friday (7 April). Mostly are fixtures this season take place at the main county grounds. Two exceptions are; Friday 5 May with a trip to Aigburth, Liverpool for a 50-over match against Lancashire and Monday 3 July when we commence a County Championship match against Kent at Beckenham – a second consecutive trip to this venue. The season is scheduled to end on Thursday 28 September with the final day of the County Championship match at Leicester.
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It was a novelty recently to see live cricket on Freeview TV with the screening of several matches from Australia's Big Bash on Channel 5. The Caribbean Premier League also received a similar airing last year on Dave. If and when the proposed English Premier League gets underway it is vital that at least a proportion of the matches are shown on free to air television. Perhaps the day when some international cricket follows suit might also not be far away. There are figures which show that youthful interest in cricket has dropped off since 2005 I wonder why?
BILL HORSLEY
Editor
The opinions expressed by the authors of articles in this newsletter do not necessarily reflect those of the editor or Northamptonshire County Cricket Supporters Club
FEBRUARY 2017
TREVOR BAILEY 1940 – 2017
As most of you will know by now in late January we lost our Chairman Trevor Bailey who died suddenly whilst on holiday in Spain. Trevor's death came as a great shock to me and I would like to pay tribute to him in the following words.
Northamptonshire County Cricket Club was one of the great passions of Trevor's life. Many people (myself included) follow cricket in the summer and either football or rugby in the winter, but for Trevor Northants were No.1 exclusively.
In recent years, in addition to supporting the lads at Wantage Road, Trevor enthusiastically followed them to most of their Championship and important one-day away matches. I was fortunate enough to be his companion on some winning occasions – such as Edgbaston in 2016 and some less successful ones – Chester-Le-Street in 2014 comes to mind (but we did get the chance to visit Beamish).
Outside of cricket, for those of you who didn't know Trevor was a Borough Councillor for many years and in 1987 was Mayor of Northampton. The Chronicle and Echo newspaper reported that during his mayoral year Trevor attended 542 engagements which broke the Northamptonshire record. In 2005 he was made an Alderman of the borough.
What will I remember about Trevor? His ability to put things down (glasses, car keys, credit cards, etc) and then forget where he had put them. His skill in regularly nodding off at the cricket (once spotted by Usman Afzaal). His knack of eating something in the bookstall and leaving crumbs on the floor – much to the consternation of at least two lady Supporters Club committee members!
What will I also remember? Working with Trevor to keep the exterior of the shed spick and span. Going round the ground with him as he 'pitched' and Linda Fisher and I sold raffle tickets raising hundreds of pounds for the Club.
The last Northamptonshire cricket that Trevor saw was the exciting win over Gloucestershire on the final day of last season. How special that this was a winning end, blessed with unseasonably hot weather in mid-September.
The last time I saw him was at our committee meeting on 11 January when he was looking forward to his trip to Spain.
I have always valued Trevor's friendship and feel his loss deeply. Northamptonshire Cricket has lost a great supporter. RIP Trev.
BILL HORSLEY
NEWS
Tony Prideaux, son of former Northamptonshire captain Roger Prideaux died on 20 November. I am indebted to Tony Bevington for advising me of this sad event which was announced in the Eastbourne Herald.
Supporters Club member Mr A Jacklin of Loughton, Milton Keyes died on 15 December.
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Former Northamptonshire, Lancashire and England batsman Mal Loye has joined Derbyshire as Development Coach. Loye has also spent time as Bangladesh high performance coach and as summariser for BBC Radio Northampton.
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Batsman Laurie Evans, who was briefly on loan to Northamptonshire last season has joined Sussex on a three-year contract from Warwickshire.
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As you will probably know by now on Friday 14 July the County Ground will host a concert by Olly Murrs. Tickets, hospitality packages and further details are available from the Club.
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Ben Duckett won two further awards, in the 2016 Cricketer Reader Awards. He was voted Batsman of the Year (CC Div 2) and Emerging Player of the Year.
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Former Northamptonshire and South Africa all-rounder Johan van der Wath is now seeking to make his name as a golfer. The 39 year-old recently competed in the South African Open at Glendower Country Club.
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New Zealander Neil Wagner, a former Northamptonshire bowler has signed with Essex as overseas player for the first half of the 2017 season. Wagner appeared for Lancashire last season.
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Cricket Australia drafted in Monty Panesar to help their national side prepare for their tour of India. Additionally Monty was quoted by BBC Sport as saying: “I still have international ambitions.”
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Chris Lorkin has joined Northamptonshire as the new Strength & Conditioning Coach. Lorkin joins from Aston Villa and succeeds Chris Tombs in the role.
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Northamptonshire have confirmed that they have repaid £1million of their loan from the County Council. This leaves £0.9million to repay. The club has also not drawn on the £250,000 facility made available by Northampton Borough Council.
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The Nigel Wagstaff Charity will be Northamptonshire's charity of the year for 2017. The charity supports local fundraising projects and this year will be supporting the Gosset Ward at Northampton General Hospital to buy a Giraffe (Ominibed) incubator.
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Northamptonshire have signed England Under 19 captain Max Holden on loan from Middlesex until the end of June. He is a left-handed batsman who can also bowl right-arm off-breaks.
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Ben Duckett has been named in the MCC squad who will face county champions Middlesex in the season opening fixture to be played in Abu Dhabi in late March.
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Former Derbyshire and Northamptonshire batsman Adrian Rollins was the subject of The Cricketer's 'Whatever happened to...' feature in their February edition. He is now Assistant Head Teacher at Pingle School in Derbyshire.
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The twin sons of former Northamptonshire Chief Executive Mark Tagg – Isaac and Joseph - are currently in the Worcestershire under-12 squad.
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Former pavilion and dressing room attendant Mick York has died.
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The reciprocal arrangement for NCCC members to attend Huntingdon Racecourse free of charge will continue this year. The race dates are; 3 April, 29 May and 14 November.
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Graeme White has been selected for the England Lions one-day series against Sri Lanka A in March. White has been added to the previously named squad alongside Durham's Mark Wood.
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE IN THE BENSON AND HEDGES CUP
Benson and Hedges' sponsorship of their county cricket competition lasted for thirty years (from 1972 to 2002). The B&H differentiated itself from its contemporary competitions the Gillette Cup (60 overs) and John Player League (40 overs) by being a 55-over a side event.
The original format of the competition saw the then 17 first-class counties joined by Minor Counties North and South teams and Cambridge or Oxford University (who competed in alternate years). The twenty teams were divided into four groups of five (originally on a geographical basis) with the top two in each group qualifying for the knockout stage of the event. The Final took place at Lord's in mid-July or late June.
Northamptonshire's early years in the Benson and Hedges Cup were pretty dismal. Their first ever match in the competition took place on 29 April 1972 at Grace Road, Leicester. Northants were bowled out in the 52nd over for just 120 (Mushtaq Mohammed 45). The host gained an easy seven-wicket win in just the 41st over. This match pretty much set the tone for the next few seasons.
It was to be 1977 before Northamptonshire (no doubt spurred on by their Gillette Cup success the previous summer) progressed to the knockout stage of the competition. Warwickshire were defeated by 17 runs in the last eight which brought Kent to the County Ground for the semi-final. The home side fell just one six hit from reaching the final – ending on 206-7 chasing Kent's 211-6.
Northamptonshire were destined to reach just three Benson and Hedges Cup finals. The first, in 1980 was to prove the most enjoyable. In that match the cup holders Essex were the opponents and they looked on course to retain their title, bowling Northants out for 209 (Allan Lamb 72) and reaching 112-1. A collapse saw them contained to 203-8 and the golden trophy was on its way to Wantage Road for the only time.
Seven years later Northamptonshire again batted first, this time against Yorkshire. The team posted a highly competitive 244-7 with David Capel making 97. The major innings for the Tykes was an unbeaten 75 by Jim Love, but it was Arnie Sidebottom who blocked the final delivery to win the match with the scores tied but Yorkshire victorious having lost one fewer wicket.
The 1996 Final was not to prove as close. Lancashire totalled 245 for 9. Northants, having been 10 for 2, were bowled out for 214 in the 49th over. The following season the number of overs per side was reduced to 50. During its lifespan, the B&H also had a spell as a straight knockout competition although it would revert back to having an opening group stage. The most radical shake-up in format came in 1999 when only the top eight counties from the previous season's County Championship qualified – Northamptonshire were not amongst them! This format lasted just for that season.
By 2002 concern regarding the quantity of limited overs cricket in England together with a ban on tobacco advertising led to the end of the Benson and Hedges Cup. Northamptonshire's final match took place on 6 May 2002 when Gloucestershire were bowled out for just 94 and defeated by 118 runs at the County Ground.
In 2003 a new competition – the Twenty20 Cup replaced the B&H. A new era had begun.
BILL HORSLEY
HAZEL CHURCH 1935 – 2016
With the death of Hazel Church on New Year's Eve Northamptonshire cricket lost a staunch supporter who had followed the county over much of the country home and away. Readers of West Stand Story will know best for this but she had had an interesting life besides.
Coming from Sandridge, near St Albans the young Hazel might have gone on the stage as a dancer. While at drama school she appeared in several of the St Trinian's films as one of the younger girls with a 12 second solo spot in one of them. However she met and married an officer about to leave the Royal Navy and went with him in his new job in northern Nigeria where they lived for many years. They returned and lived in North Marston before moving to Milton Keynes.
Hazel and John were both Life Members of the county club, although John's support was mostly for the Second XI games at Stowe or Campbell Park. Hazel followed the First XI at county grounds from Chester Le Street to Taunton, the 2nds from South Essex to West Yorkshire and the Colts and Academy around the local area. Her duties, apart from at one time making the Colts' teas included becoming 'honorary mum' and later 'grandma to many players over the years. Also she served as official cake maker to Rob Bailey, as well as helping Nick Cook to keep up to date with horse racing.
Hazel was a member of the Supporters Club committee for several years and a regular on the coaches to away grounds for Sunday 40 over matches. She was also a target in one season being hit by a Rob Bailey six at the Abington Avenue end and another from Kevin Inness while on the upper balcony on the Spencer Pavilion. Mark Powell also landed a third one on her Volvo in the adjacent sports ground at Oakham School in a seconds game against Leicestershire.
We have known her since the early 1990's, including the tour to Cape Town in 1993. Hazel also went on the England tour of New Zealand later when she met up with Bob Carter and his wife.
We shall miss her at matches where she was always capable of providing sticking plasters, sprays or ointment for any slight injuries, from her ample handbag, even dog biscuits on one occasion when one was causing trouble. We shall also miss her large collection of ear rings!
Northants cricket has lost a wonderful member and we have lost a dear friend.
BOB and JEAN EALES
THE SPEAKERS
Since attending most supporters’ club lunches it occurs I might mention the speakers who entertain and inform us. They usually have their lunch at the committee table before being let loose with a microphone and often a handful of notes.
In the past, the speakers I have enjoyed listening to and interrogating have been Matthew Engel, Mark Robinson and Charlotte Edwards. This season I have attended the October and Christmas lunches, missing Barry Goudriaan in November.
Ian Peck was an enthusiastic Northamptonshire supporter, as well as being an ex player and club director. He was positive about the club's future and praised the work of Gavin Warren in keeping the club afloat. It was encouraging to find such zeal from a director.
David Murphy made a good impression at the Christmas lunch, showing how realistic he is, and has to be, about his Northamptonshire career. The ups and downs of the wicket keeper in the game as it is played today have seen David in and out of the team, particularly almost exclusively out of the limited overs team since 2013. His present law studies make perfect sense, but the mood of the meeting indicated he's considered our best wicket keeper, and the hope is he will remain the 4 day glove man. There will always be the policy of selecting a batsman who can keep, but there have been instances of said keepers leaking runs and failing to compensate with the bat.
Modern keepers probably suffer more than most. David did convey the joy players get from winning matches and trophies to remind me they don't just see it as the daily grind.....
It suddenly occurred I could add a piece about Alex Wakeley’s ‘performance’ at the January lunch. As before, Alex was ready to update us on what's been happening at the club recently, and we learnt of a tournament in the USA where a small Northants squad took part. No trophies won but quite an experience for the lads.
Chris Toombs has left the club after good work to be replaced by another Chris, Lorkin as strength and conditioning coach. The new Chris has been putting the players through some tough routines already Alex told us. Alex spoke well of Nathan Buck our new pace bowler, and he and Alex played their cricket together in the early days. The loan of Max Holden from Middlesex looks promising too.
Finally it was good to learn the club is looking to sign Seekugge Prasanna to be with the club throughout the T20’campaign rather than the Hokey Cokey availability of 2016.Good to see and hear Alex again, and he seems to have mastered the art of PR as well as winning the T20 and playing the perfect supporting innings in that competition.
T20 HOME AND AWAY
My wife surprised me with an unexpected early Christmas present; the two DVD set of the Northants’ T20 triumphs. Once I had established our DVD player still works I was able to recall and enjoy those two wonderful, memorable days when the minnows devoured the bigger fish.
The production and content are impressive and the stories told brought back the very special atmosphere of finals day. There are interviews with all the participants and some fascinating insights into how the trophy was won and how the players felt as the day progressed.
Naturally, David Willey’s performance in the 2013 final was a feature but Steven Crook’s vital contribution to the semi was another important aspect of the day. Steven’s six off Essex’ Shaun Tait, a former teammate in Australia did get a showing.
2016 is obviously much fresher in the memory and it felt more like a highlights programme. There was good bowling but the emphasis fell on the spectacular innings from Ben Duckett and Josh Cobb, and their
ISSUE NUMBER 181 - APRIL EDITORIAL
WEST STAND STORY
THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE COUNTY CRICKET SUPPORTERS CLUB
FOUNDED 1988
northantscricket.com/community/nccc supporters club
Secretary & Treasurer: Mrs Linda Fisher, 110 Denmark Street, Bedford. Telephone: 07989844171 Email:
Membership Secretary: Dianne Ward, 97 Purser Road, Abington, Northampton NN1 4PG. Telephone: (01604) 281264. Email:
Newsletter Editor: Bill Horsley, 10 Delamere Road, Northampton NN4 8QG. Telephone: (01604) 765780. Email: .
Committee members; Sheila Kent, Jim Finney and Michael Wells.
ISSUE NUMBER 181 - APRIL 2017
EDITORIAL
“If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.” - Anne Bradstreet (1612-1672)
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This past winter has not been too bad but it is always much nicer to reach Spring and the start of the cricket season. It seems a long time since the 2016 season ended with a Championship victory on a golden afternoon. The 2016 must be marked down as a successful one for Northamptonshire with a strong finish to the County Championship season, a narrow defeat to Surrey in the quarter-finals of the One Day Cup and of course T20 triumph on a soggy evening in Birmingham. It would be good to think that 2017 might equal or better this.
As always cricket provides a number of issues for debate. The reduction in County Championship matches and other changes to the scheduling of the season have recently fuelled a lively debate in the letters pages of The Cricketer. The prospect of a T20 franchise league and associated questions – when will it start? How will it work? Continue to hover in the background.
I appreciate the difficult balancing act that county clubs have to perform. Unfortunately there simply aren't enough of us who enjoy, appreciate and pay to see County Championship cricket for the English (and Welsh) first-class structure to be sustained by this alone. T20 cricket whatever you may think of it (I am a fan) attracts far more people through the gate and therefore has to be promoted. The feeling is also that with leagues like the IPL and the Big Bash well established around the world English cricket is being left behind.
Just to remind you that the Supporters Club AGM takes place at the County Ground at 7pm on Wednesday 19 April. We look forward to seeing you there. Let's hope that the 2017 cricket season is another one to remember
BILL HORSLEY
Editor
The opinions expressed by the authors of articles in this newsletter do not necessarily reflect those of the editor or Northamptonshire County Cricket Supporters Club
APRIL 2017 FE
SUPPORTERS CLUB MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL
If you pay your Supporters Club membership subscription annually or your five-year subscription expired in 2016 – it is now due. Please arrange to renew at a Supporters Club event or at the 'signal box' during the coming season. I must remind you that the new subscription rates are £5 per year and £25 for five years. Thank you for your help.
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RECEIVE YOUR NEWSLETTER BY EMAIL!
If you would like to receive West Stand Story by email rather than having to pick one up during the season or having it sent to you through the post please let us have your email address. You can do this by either emailing me at or by dropping into the signal box during a match to give us your details.
DID YOU KNOW?
QUIZ
The following questions relate to events in years ending in a '7':
Answers: 1. Nick Cook, Winston Davis and Alan Walker. 2. David Ripley, 3. Fifteen, 4. Glamorgan (also in 1979), 5. Wardown Park, Luton, 6. Roger Prideaux, 7. Marcus Trescothick, 8. Nobby Clark, 9. Devon Malcolm, 10. Lance Klusener
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
Northamptonshire County Cricket Supporters Club would like to thank PDS Ltd (www.printdatasolutions.co.uk)
for their assistance in the printing of this newsletter.
APRIL 2017
NEWS
The Northants Cricket Shop officially re-opened on Saturday 4th March. The shop will be run by the Cricket Board and will stock cricket equipment and clothing together with Northamptonshire CCC casual clothing and replica kit.
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Richard Gleeson was forced to miss the North v South series in Dubai due to a tendon injury in his left knee.
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The Cricketer magazine has chosen former Northamptonshire bowler as Warwickshire's 'Player To Watch' in the 2017 season. Their Northamptonshire choice is Richard Gleeson.
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The British Film Institute has made a number of cricket films available for free viewing on its BFI Player website. These include Expeditionary Force in Australia in 1954/55, a 36 minute silent film shot by Keith Andrew and Frank Tyson. (A 52-minute film of the same tour made by Alec Bedser is also available). Other available films with a Northamptonshire cricket interest include Arthur Mold bowling to AN Hornby an 8-minute film shot at Old Trafford in 1901; interviews with Colin Milburn recorded in 1970, 1977 and 1980; footage and interviews (with Allan Lamb and Jim Watts) from the 1980 Benson and Hedges Cup Final victory over Essex at Lord's. The 1977 Milburn interview also shows views of the County Ground during a limited overs match. There are also short vintage films showing Abington Park and All Saints Church.
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Still on the Colin Milburn front I have found more information on his appearance on the TV programme 'This Is Your Life' which I mentioned in West Stand Story last year. Milburn's appearance was filmed at Thames Television's Euston Road Studios in London on 7 April 1970 and broadcast the following evening on ITV at 7pm. Cricketing guests on the show included; Denis Compton, Colin Ingleby-Mackenzie, Bill Coverdale, Malcolm Scott, Fred Trueman and Ray Lindwall. Further information and still photographs from the programme can be found at www.bigredbook.info
Northants' loan signing Max Holden made 170 for England Under 19s against their Indian counterparts in the First Youth Test at Nagpur. The Cambridge born player added 321 for the second wicket with Somerset's George Bartlett. Holden also took 1-17 in India's second innings. The match ended as a draw.
In the Second Youth Test Holden claimed 2-63 but the match also finished drawn.
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Ben Duckett made 59 for England Lions in the Second 50-overs match against Sri Lanka A at Dambulla. Despite this the match was lost by 119 runs. This was to prove Ben's highest innings of the series his other scores being; 17, 31, 6 and 28.
Graeme White made his limited overs debut for the Lions in the Fourth match of the series. He took 3-53 as the Lions claimed a five wicket win. In the final match of the series White recorded figures of 1-30. Both matches took place at Colombo. The Lions lost the series 3-2 having been 3-0 down.
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Former Northamptonshire, Yorkshire and Essex player James Middlebrook has been named on the first-class umpires reserve list for the 2017 season. Middlebrook left Northants in 2014 and initially played Minor Counties cricket for Bedfordshire before being re-signed by his native Yorkshire, playing his part in their 2015 County Championship win. He has also spent the last two English winters officiating in Australia.
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Seekuge Prasanna will re-join Northamptonshire for the T20 Blast 2017 season. The 31 year-old Sri Lankan made 11 appearances for the Steelbacks in the competition last season. He has played 34 ODIs and 14 T20 Internationals for his country.
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The 2017 Northamptonshire County Cricket Club Golf Day will take place on Wednesday 19 July at Collingtree Park Golf Club. The cost is £325 for a team of four. Further details can be obtained from the club on or 01604 514455.
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PlayerLayer will be the official kit partner for Northamptonshire CCC this season. The company will supply kit in all three competitions as well as training and replica kit
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2015 X Factor winner Louisa Johnson has been announced as support act for Olly Murrs in his concert at the County Ground on Friday 14 July.
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Gareth Wade made his Northamptonshire debut on the tour of Barbados. Gareth is a 26 year-old right-arm medium-fast bowler who as previously played for Worcestershire Second Eleven, Unicorns and Northumberland.
Another to play on the tour is Miles Richardson, a 25 year-old right-arm fast medium bowler. Born in Maidstone Richardson has appeared for this native Kent's Second Eleven, Surrey Second Eleven, MCC and Hong Kong CC.
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According to the BBC Sport website Monty Panesar has been released by Northamptonshire. Monty has recently worked with Cricket Australia in order to prepare their cricketers for their tour of India.
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Former Northamptonshire target and former Durham overseas player Australian John Hastings will be with Worcestershire for the 2017 season.
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Former Northamptonshire bowler Jack Brookes appeared on the reality TV show Celebrity Dinner Date. He beat off two fellow contestants to earn a second date with Coronation Street actress Rhea Bailey. Brookes's menu included 'This will bowl you over' chicken satay and 'Can I wicket? Yes you can! Chocolate chip cookies.
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The Cricketer magazine has predicted that Northamptonshire will finish 8th in Division Two of the County Championship.
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£13,000 has already been raised for Northamptonshire's 2017 charity The Nigel Wagstaff / Houghton Hams Charity.
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PRE-SEASON MATCHES
Northamptonshire opened their tour of Barbados with a 50-over match against Loughborough University at Windward CC. The students won the toss and batted. They made 267-7 with Ben Sanderson taking 3-42 and Max Holden 2-34.
In reply Northants chased down their victory target with five wickets and nearly six overs to spare. Josh Cobb hit 79 in 67 balls, Adam Rossington an unbeaten 78 in 68 and Rob Newton 50 in 50.
Nottinghamshire were the next opponents in another 50-over match. Batting first Alex Wakely hit 105 off 111 balls, adding 110 for the third wicket with Robe Keogh (53). In reply former Northants batsman Riki Wessels (67) and Samit Patel (73) both hit fifties as Notts claimed a six-wicket win with 5.4 overs to spare.
The third match was a T20 encounter against Cardiff UCCE which proved to be a close encounter. Adam Rossington hit 45 in 19 balls as the Steelbacks reached 162-6. At 108-7 the students looked out of it but an unbeaten 55 from Tom Cullen took them close Northants winning by just three runs. Steven Crook claimed 3-28 to add to 31 runs from the bat earlier.
The Barbados tour ended with a two-day match against Hampshire. The opening day was cut short by rain with Northants 166-4. Max Holden (58*) top scored. In reply Hampshire reached 305-4 (Sean Ervine 101*). The most successful of Northants nine bowlers was Rob Keogh who took 3-50. The match ended with Northants 50-2 in their second innings.
Moving on to events in Dubai Ben Duckett hit 137 in 92 balls for the North against Worcestershire in a warm up match. His side piled up 416-6 in their 50 overs and won by 71 runs.
The first match against the South saw a different story with Duckett dismissed for just 8 and the North bowled out for 202. The South swept to a ten-wicket win in just the 34th over. Graeme White was the most economical bowler conceding 43 runs in his 9 overs.
In the second match Duckett hit 64 in 44 balls but could not prevent the South from winning again by 47 runs.
The final match saw Graeme White take 2-30 in 8 overs as the South were restricted to 228-8. In reply Duckett hit 37 from 17 balls but the North were bowled out for 208 to lose the match by 20 runs and the series 3-0.
SECOND XI FIXTURE -WITH MORE VENUES!
Following a special request made to me I am featuring the Second XI fixtures for a second time but this time with more venue information (where available). This information has been gathered from a number of sources. My apologies if any of it turns out to be incorrect.
12 to 14 April v Glamorgan at Northampton SEF
18 April v MCC Young Cricketers TBC SET
19 April v Leicestershire Home SET
25 April v Derbyshire at Denby CC SET
1 May v Durham at Campbell Park SET
2 to 4 May v Durham at Campbell Park SEC
8 May v Lancashire at Northop Hall CC SET
9 to 11 May v Lancashire at Liverpool CC SEC
22 May v Nottinghamshire at Bedford School SET
23 to 25 May v Nottinghamshire at Campbell Park SEC
5 to 7 June v Derbyshire at Belper Meadows CC SEC
13 to 16 June Combined with Kent v Warwickshire at Canterbury
19 June v Worcestershire at Northampton SET20
20 to 22 June v Worcestershire at Holcot SEC
3 July v Lancashire at Northampton SET20
5 July v Nottinghamshire at Grantham SET20
10 July v Yorkshire at Pudsey Congs CC SET20
11 to 13 July v Yorkshire at York CC SEC
18 July v Leicestershire TBC SET20
24 July v Warwickshire TBC SET20
25 to 27 July v Warwickshire TBC SEC
7 August v MCC Young Cricketers at Campbell Park
22 to 24 August v Leicestershire at Desborough
12 to 14 September v Scotland A Home SEF
Key
SEC is Second Eleven Championship
SET is Second Eleven Trophy (50 overs)
SET20 is Second Eleven 20 Over Trophy
SEF is Second Eleven Friendly
THE SOUTH AFRICAN CONNECTION
Sunday 21 May is the date when South Africa visit the County Ground to renew 'battle' with Northamptonshire.
The first match between the two teams took place 110 years ago when South Africa won by 83 runs bowling Northants out for 57 and 118.
Albert Thomas claimed 8-96 in the 1924 match not that this did Northants much good as they still lost by an innings and 136 runs.
The 1951 match saw Jock Livingston (201*) hit a double century as he added 320 for the third wicket with Fred Jakeman (131). Declaring at 426-6 Northants bowled the tourists out for 212 with George Tribe taking 6-53. Forced to follow on South Africa comfortably batted out the remainder of the match (418-6) with Eric Rowan (202*) hitting a double century.
When South Africa declared their first innings at 461-3 in the 1960 match few people would have bet on a home victory. Yet a century from skipper Raman Subba Row (108) saw them concede a lead of just 98 runs. Making a game of it South Africa declared their second innings at 101-8 to set a victory target of 200. Northants got the runs in the 46th over with Des Barrick top scoring. This remains Northamptonshire's only first-class victory over the South Africans in ten matches.
The fixture list did not take South Africa to Northampton in 1965 and therefore the two sides did not play each other again until 1994. That match ended drawn with the visitors skippered by future Northamptonshire coach Kepler Wessels.
The first 50-over match between the two teams took place in 2003. This ended in a rain ruined draw with Northants 45-1 in 15 overs chasing 230 to win.
In the early 1990's Northamptonshire toured South Africa playing a first-class match against Natal (1991-92)
In addition to Kepler Wessels another South African – Mike Proctor has also coached Northamptonshire.
South Africa has provided Northamptonshire with a number of players through the years. The best known is of course Allan Lamb who joined the county in 1978. Lamb qualified for England and played in 79 Test Matches between 1982 and 1992. Becoming Northants captain in 1989 and retied after the 1995 season.
Two other South African-born players to have also captained Northamptonshire in more recent times are Nicky Boje (2008 to 2010) and Andrew Hall (2010 to 2012). Boje was also South African ODI captain between 2006 and 2008.
The following is by no means comprehensive but details a number of other South Africans who have appeared for Northamptonshire.
Hylton Ackerman who hit Northamptonshire's first century in the John Player League.
Geoffrey Bradfield played one match against Cambridge University in 1970.
Gerard Brophy who went on to join Yorkshire and have a benefit year with them.
Leonard Cullen fell out of his bedroom window sleep walking and was badly bruised while staying in Llanelli for a match against Glamorgan in 1935.
Con de Lange who went on to play for Scotland
Jon Fellows-Smith who briefly played for Northants in 1957.
Rupert Hanley who was nicknamed 'Spook'.
Davy Jacobs would go on to lead Warriors to domestic limited overs success in South Africa.
Rory Kleinveldt. Current all-rounder.
Lance Klusener who hit the first T20 century for Northamptonshire.
Richard Levi. Current hard hitting batsman.
Andre Nel who also played for Essex and Surrey.
Charl Pietersen took 7-10 against Denmark at in Brondby in 2005 – the best Northamptonshire limited overs bowling.
Keith Reid an Eastern Province player during the seventies but just one 1973 match for Northants.
Archie Sim played four mid-sixties matches for the county.
Johan van der Wath who is now a golfer.
Martin van Jaarsveld the bulk of whose county cricket was for Kent.
Riki Wessels does not qualify for this list as he was born in Australia, whilst Jim Carse, Fred Goldstein and David Pithey all first saw the light of day in what is now Zimbabwe.
I'm sure readers will remind me of the players I have forgotten.
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE WOMEN'S CRICKET IN 2017
The Steeletoes have the following fixture:
Monday 1 May v Suffolk at Finedon Dolben (CC)
Sunday 14 May v Lincolnshire at Northampton (CC)
Sunday 28 May v Norfolk at Away Venue TBC (CC)
Monday 29 May v Leicestershire & Rutland at Away Venue TBC (CC)
Sunday 18 June v Hertfordshire at Horton House (T20)
Sunday 18 June v Cambridgeshire at Horton House (T20)
Sunday 2 July v Hertfordshire at Tring Park (T20)
Sunday 2 July v Suffolk at Tring Park (T20)
Sunday 16 July v Cambridgeshire at Sawston (T20)
Sunday 16 July v Buckinghamshire at Sawston
Sunday 30 July v Norfolk at Away Venue TBC (T20)
Sunday 30 July v Cambridgeshire at Sawston (T20)
CC = County Championship
ISSUE NUMBER 182 - JUNE EDITORIAL
WEST STAND STORY
THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE COUNTY CRICKET SUPPORTERS CLUB
FOUNDED 1988
northantscricket.com/community/nccc supporters club
Chairman & Treasurer: Mrs Linda Fisher, 110 Denmark Street, Bedford. Telephone: 07989844171 Email:
Secretary: Mrs Sheila Kent, 3 Gayhurst Close, Moulton, Northampton NN3 7LQ.
Email:
Membership Secretary: Dianne Ward, 97 Purser Road, Abington, Northampton NN1 4PG. Telephone: (01604) 281264. Email:
Newsletter Editor: Bill Horsley, 10 Delamere Road, Northampton NN4 8QG. Telephone: (01604) 765780. Email: .
Committee members; Ian Bonner, Jim Finney and Michael Wells.
ISSUE NUMBER 182 - JUNE 2017
EDITORIAL
“Half the money I spend on advertising is wasted and the trouble is I don't know which half.” - Viscount Leverhulme (1851-1925)
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As you probably have noticed we have had a change in our 'batting order' with Linda Fisher becoming our new Chairman and Sheila Kent taking over as Secretary. We also welcome Ian Bonner to the committee as our new 'webmaster'. Linda has already completed an interview with a reporter from the ECB – there is no truth in the rumour that this is why she has started wearing dark glasses!
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The wonderful weather experienced during the short but sweet Championship match against Glamorgan at the County Ground unfortunately did not last through the rest of April and into early May. I enjoyed the exciting win at Derby but caught a chill which helped to bring me down with a heavy cold which in turn meant that I missed the frustrating loss at Worcester. Our early 50 over matches were also played out in very chilly conditions although I did have my coat undone at Derby for a good hour! The weather picked up for the match against Yorkshire but the result didn't. Thus we have to kiss goodbye to the chance of 50 over glory for another year at least.
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Please bear with us while we iron out all the difficulties with regard to sending West Stand Story out by email. We also apologise for any inconvenience that we have caused to anybody. Thank you to everyone who has provide their email address so far. This will help us greatly by saving on future printing and postage costs.
BILL HORSLEY
Editor
The opinions expressed by the authors of articles in this newsletter do not necessarily reflect those of the editor or Northamptonshire County Cricket Supporters Club
JUNE 2017 FE
T20 BLAST COACH TRIPS
We are considering running trips to the T20 Blast matches against Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge on Saturday 22 July and Worcestershire at New Road on Saturday 5 August. If you are interested in either or both of these trips please leave your details with us at 'the signal box’. These trips will only run if we get sufficient numbers so please help us make a difference and support the Steelbacks away!
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RECEIVE YOUR NEWSLETTER BY EMAIL!
If you would like to receive West Stand Story by email rather than having to pick one up during the season or having it sent to you through the post please let us have your email address. You can do this by either emailing me at or by dropping into the signal box during a match to give us your details. A big thanks to everyone who has so far given us their details.
TOMBOLA AND RAFFLE
This year's Tombola will take place on Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 June during the County Championship match against Derbyshire. Please help us by donating prizes for this event.
On Sunday 6 August we will be holding a raffle during the opening day of the County Championship fixture against Gloucestershire.
We look forward to your patronage of both these events. Please help us make both of them a success.
QUIZ
This edition's quiz is on the subject of awards/accolades:
Answers: 1. Allan Lamb (1982) and Monty Panesar (2008), 2. Robert Bailey (1984) and Ben Duckett (2016), 3. Peter Lee (1973 whilst with Lancashire), Mal Loye (1998), Martin van Jaarsveld (2008 Kent), Ben Duckett (2016), 4. Allan Lamb, 5. David Ripley, 6. Jason Brown, 7. Jack Mercer.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
Northamptonshire County Cricket Supporters Club would like to thank PDS Ltd (www.printdatasolutions.co.uk) for their assistance in the printing of this newsletter.
________________________________________________________________________________________________
JUNE 2017
NEWS
A new annual award in memory of Alan Hodgson will be presented later this year. The Alan Hodgson Award will be presented for 'contribution to cricket in Northamptonshire' in its widest sense.
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As many of you will know by now Ben Duckett was named as one of Wisden's Five Cricketers of the Year for the 2016 season. Ben is the 14th cricketer to be selected for this honour whilst on the Northamptonshire staff. The others are; George Thompson (1906 edition), Sydney Smith (1915), Vallance Jupp (1928), Fred Bakewell (1934), George Tribe (1955), Frank Tyson (1956), Dennis Brookes (1957), Raman Subba Row (1961), Colin Milburn (1966), David Steele (1976), Allan Lamb (1981), Anil Kumble (1996), Monty Panesar (2007).
A new honours board detailing the Northamptonshire Wisden Cricketers of the Year will soon be erected in the Long Room of the Spencer Pavilion at the County Ground and the Supporters Club is very pleased to have contributed towards this.
A number of other players who have played for Northamptonshire were honoured either before or after joining the club. These include; Jack Mercer (1927), Freddie Brown (1933), Mushtaq Mohammed (1963), Roy Virgin (1971), Peter Lee (1976), John Emburey (1984), Curtly Ambrose (1992), Devon Malcolm (1995), Lance Klusener (2000), Matthew Hayden (2003), Ian Harvey (2004), Graeme Swann (2010), Chris Rogers (2014)
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Northamptonshire's Championship match at Worcester saw paceman Andy Carter make his debut for the county. With injury sidelining Richard Gleason, Rory Kleinveldt and Ben Sanderson for Nottinghamshire player Carter was called up to join the team. He was born in Lincoln in 1988 and joined Notts in 2008 after representing his home county in minor counties cricket. In 2011 he played for the England Lions on their tour of the West Indies. For the 2016 season he moved to Derbyshire and also had loan spells with Essex, Glamorgan and Hampshire.
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Club captain Alex Wakely has extended his contract with Northamptonshire by two years. This means that he will remain at Wantage Road until at least the end of the 2019 season.
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The Cricketer's May feature on county cricket's finest captains included Jim Watts with a brief article by Mike Selvey. The same edition also featured an interview with Allan Lamb. All first-class counties are included in a new 'County Diary' feature whilst an article on University Cricket reminds us that Oxford University beat Northants in the 1975 Benson and Hedges Cup and Cambridge UCCE triumphed in a 2004 first-class match.
On a historical note there is mention in the magazine of an attempt back in 1913 to expel Northamptonshire, Derbyshire, Essex, Somerset and Worcestershire from the County Championship. This despite Northants finishing as runners-up the previous season.
The Cricketer also reports that in 2011 when Northamptonshire opened their Championship season at The Oval on 8 April Chaminda Vaas dismissed Michael Brown lbw as the clock still showed 10:59am – before the season had officially begun!
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Former Northamptonshire wicketkeeper – batsman Russell Warren umpired the Royal London One Day Cup match between the county and Derbyshire at Derby. Also on the umpiring front the Second Eleven's Trophy match against Leicestershire at the County Ground in May was umpired by former county opener Rob White.
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Former Northamptonshire cricketer Andrew White is now part of the coaching team of the Ireland national team. White retired as a player in 2015 at the age of 34. He played for Northants between 2004 and 2006.
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17 year old Teddie Casterton who trained with the Northants Academy during the winter broke the school cricket record for Royal Grammar School (High Wycombe), hitting an unbeaten 267 in 153
balls against John Hamden Grammar School. The previous school record holder was Saif Zaib.
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Two former Northamptonshire players were in opposition during the England v Ireland ODI series. David Willey for England and Niall O'Brien for Ireland. Sadly Ben Duckett did not appear in either match.
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Northamptonshire Steelbacks's T20 Blast match v Yorkshire Vikings at the County Ground on Tuesday 11 July will be shown live by Sky Sports. The match against Notts Outlaws at Trent Bridge on Saturday 22 July will also be shown as will the home match against Birmingham Bears on Tuesday 1 August.
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Guardian cricket writer and keen Northamptonshire fan Dan Lucas died suddenly in March at the tragically early age of 31.
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SECOND ELEVEN
Unfortunately I can find no information or scorecards online for the Second Eleven's opening friendly against Glamorgan.
The Second Eleven began their Trophy campaign with a match against MCC Young Cricketers at Dunstable. MCCYC made 246-9 in their 50 overs Miles Richardson claimed 3-41. In reply fifties from Josh Cobb (52) and Rob Keogh (63) helped Northants to claim a two-wicket win with three balls to spare. The MCCYC side included Ben Curran the Northampton-born son of Kevin Curran.
In their second Trophy match the Second Eleven faced Leicestershire at the County Ground and racked up a hefty 431-7 in their 50 overs with Stephen Crook hitting 115 from 76 balls, Ben Duckett 83 from 60 and Graeme White 74 from 46. Leicestershire's reply centered around 157 from Cameron Delport but they could only reach 332 to lose by 99 runs.
In their next Trophy match the seconds travelled to Denby CC to face Derbyshire in bitterly cold weather. The hosts totalled 315 for 8 with Tom Wood hitting 126. Richard Gleeson (3-19) claimed a hat trick. Set a revised target of 234 Northants were bowled out for 222 having been 113 for 8. Tom Sole (53*) top scored.
The next Trophy match saw Durham bundled out for just 93 at Campbell Park, Milton Keynes. Basil Akram claiming 4-20 and Saif Zaib 3-2. It took Northamptonshire 25 overs to reach their target for the loss of four wickets.
The boot was well and truly on the other foot for the Championship match between the two sides at the same venue. Durham racked up 434-3 featuring an opening partnership of 326. M Ahmadzai did take 2-33. In reply Northants were dismissed for 124 and followed on. James Kettleborough carried his bat for 150 but the side were dismissed again for 250 to lose by an innings and 60 runs.
Returning to the Trophy against Lancashire at Northop Hall Northants conceded a 50 over total of 336-5 with Atif Sheikh (formerly of both Derbyshire and Leicestershire) claiming figures of 1-37 from 8 overs the most economical. In reply the Seconds were bowled out for just 169 with Miles Richardson (46*) top scoring.
THE STEEL-ETOES
Northamptonshire's women began their campaign in the Royal London Women's One Day Cup Division Three with a match against Suffolk at Finedon on May Day Bank Holiday Monday. The visitors were contained to 124 for 9 in their 50 overs with Natalie Parsons taking 3-23. In reply the Steeletoes took 46.2 overs to reach their target losing seven wickets. Erica Turner (34) top scored.
HEVEY BUILDING SUPPLIES NORTHAMPTONSHIRE CRICKET LEAGUE
Horton House were the early leaders of the Premier Division claiming three wins out of three. They were closely followed by Peterborough Town who achieved two wins and a winning draw in the opening three rounds of matches.
Last season's champions Old Northamptonians (skippered by Rob White) experienced a mixed start with one win, one defeat and a winning draw in their opening encounters.
Three teams had failed to win during the opening three weeks – Wollaston, Brixworth and Rushden Town with the latter sitting at the foot of the table. Wellingborough Town stood top of Division One with three wins from three.
PERCY DAVIS
This is West Stand Story Number 182 and therefore it is fitting to remember the 182nd cricketer to appear for Northamptonshire Percy Davis.
Davis was born at Brackley on the 24th May 1915 and would go on to become the epitome of a stalwart county cricketer for his native county. It is recorded that the first item of clothing which he used to put on in the dressing room was his county cap
He first arrived at the County Ground as an eighteen year-old trialist wearing breeches and leggings borrowed from his father who was a stud groom. This possibly contributed towards one of his nicknames 'Horsey' although he was more regularly known as 'Sparrow' (another nickname was 'Button'). He might have become a jockey but instead he became a county cricketer.
Making his debut for the county against Essex in 1935 Davis found himself in a Northamptonshire team entering their 'melancholic period' of 99 County Championship matches without victory. He was also a member of the XI who ended that run with an innings victory over Leicestershire in May 1939. In that match Davis shared a second wicket partnership of 176 with Dennis Brookes.
When county cricket returned in 1946 he became Brookes's regular opening partner. The pair put on 243 together against Worcestershire at Kidderminster during that first peacetime season. 1947 saw Davis make his highest first-class score – 237 against Somerset at the County Ground in six and a half hours. This was one of ten career centuries for his county.
Davis's Northamptonshire career also included filling in as wicketkeeper on occasion. His fielding record includes ten stumpings, this is in addition to a total of 72 catches.
He passed a thousand runs for the third consecutive season in 1948 but the following year saw Freddie Brown's arrival as Northamptonshire captain and Davis's first team opportunities decreased. The last of his 169 appearances came in 1952.
That wasn't the end of Percy Davis's association with the club. He moved on to the coaching staff, helping to bring on younger Northamptonshire cricketers.
In 1967 he accepted a job as coach at Harrow School. Additionally he still scouted for Northamptonshire and spent a number of winters in South Africa at Dale College where he helped to discover future Northants batsman Hylton Ackerman.
His first-class batting career included 6363 runs at an average of 22.64. This included ten centuries and 19 fifties. He also claimed six relatively expensive wickets (81.83) during his career with his medium pace bowling.
His younger brother Eddie (1922 - 2011) was also a Northamptonshire regular between 1947 and 1956 racking up 104 appearances.
Percy Davis was a popular figure at old player reunions until shortly before his death at Leicester on 4the July 2001 aged 86.
Dennis Brookes said of Percy Davis: “I had a lot of time for Percy. He was a great character and a great man to have around.”
Davis was also noted as 'a bit of a sulker' during his playing days and 'threatening to end it all' when he was suffering a bad trot. After a duck against Sussex at Horsham his coat was discovered on the river bank. “He's done it a last!” was the cry only for Percy to poke his head out from behind a bush!
BILL HORSLEY
SUPPORTERS CLUB MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL
If you pay your Supporters Club membership subscription annually or your five-year subscription expired in 2016 – it is now due. Please arrange to renew at a Supporters Club event or at the 'signal box' during the coming season. I must remind you that the new subscription rates are £5 per year and £25 for five years. Thank you for your help.
THE CITY-BASED T20 COMPETITION: HOW IT MAY LOOK
In late April a historic vote was completed. 38 of the 41 England and Wales Cricket Board members voted in favour of a new city-based Twenty20 Tournament. It was reported by the BBC Sport website that Essex and Middlesex voted against the proposal whilst Kent abstained.
The new competition will not start until 2020 when a new TV deal is in place which is likely to mean that a certain percentage of the matches will be shown on free to air television.
The Cricketer reported that it is likely that the eight teams will be based in; Manchester, Leeds, Nottingham, Birmingham, London (Lord's and The Oval), Southampton and one out of Bristol, Taunton or Cardiff. Teams will have “carefully crafted identities to avoid alienating certain county grounds and regions”.
The competition will comprise 36 matches played over 38 days in July and August (thus avoiding a clash with other T20 competitions across the world). There will also be no scheduling overlap with the existing county T20 competition which will continue to be played. The competition will end with a series of play-offs leading to a final.
Each team will comprise a playing squad of 15 players including three from overseas. Although it has been referred to as a 'franchise' competition it is understood that the ECB and the counties will 'own' the eight teams.
It is believed that each first-class county will be guaranteed at least £1.3m per year from the new competition.
As always the devil is in the detail and there is no doubt that a number of matters will need to be discussed and finalised. Whatever our thoughts on this new venture (reaction on the BBC Sport website was certainly very mixed) we await with interest.
DID YOU KNOW?
Former Northamptonshire Chief Executive Stephen Coverdale won a blue for Cambridge University for four consecutive seasons between 1974 and 1977. This feat is matched by Robin Boyd-Moss (1980 – 1983) and Peter Mills (1979- 1982). Fred Goldstein won a blue for Oxford University for four consecutive years between 1966 and 1969, captaining the side in his final two seasons.
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Against Warwickshire at Edgbaston in 1914 Sydney Smith became the first and so far only Northamptonshire bowler to claim four wickets in four balls.
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Brian Crump (12-74) and Ray Bailey (8-95) were the last pair of Northamptonshire bowlers to bowl unchanged through a match. They achieved this against Glamorgan at what was then Sophia Gardens fifty years ago in 1967.
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Seventy years ago Reg Partridge's 1947 Benefit Season realised a total of £1476.
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Peter Willey was just 16 years and 180 days old when he made his first-class debut for Northamptonshire against Cambridge University at Fenner's in 1966.
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In 1957 Northamptonshire beat Leicestershire at the County Ground by an innings and 29 runs, losing only two wickets. Dennis Brookes hit an unbeaten 135 and declared at 277-2. Leicestershire were bowled out for 115 (Vince Broderick 5-29) and 133 (Jack Manning 5-48)
ISSUE NUMBER 183 - AUGUST 2017
WEST STAND STORY
THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE COUNTY CRICKET SUPPORTERS CLUB
FOUNDED 1988
northantscricket.com/community/nccc supporters club
Chairman & Treasurer: Mrs Linda Fisher, 110 Denmark Street, Bedford. Telephone: 07989844171 Email:
Secretary: Mrs Sheila Kent, 3 Gayhurst Close, Moulton, Northampton NN3 7LQ.
Email:
Membership Secretary: Dianne Ward, 97 Purser Road, Abington, Northampton NN1 4PG. Telephone: (01604) 281264. Email:
Newsletter Editor: Bill Horsley, 10 Delamere Road, Northampton NN4 8QG. Telephone: (01604) 765780. Email: .
Committee members; Ian Bonner, Jim Finney and Michael Wells.
ISSUE NUMBER 183 - AUGUST 2017
EDITORIAL
“Sunburn is very becoming – but only when it is even – one must be careful not to look like a mixed grill.” - Noel Coward (1899 – 1973).
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It is good news that some live cricket will return to BBC TV in 2020. This is slightly tempered by the fact that it will only be T20 matches but that is far better than nothing. The new TV deal will see the Beeb broadcast two men's and one women’s T20 internationals in addition to 10 matches in the new T20 competition and 8 from the women's Kia Super League. Highlights of England matches in all formats will also be shown and the corporation has pledged that, in line with Channel 5's current scheduling these will be shown at a reasonable hour. The bulk of live cricket remains on Sky TV who have taken the quality of coverage to a new level since the BBC broadcast their last live game (the 1999 World Cup Final). However various surveys have shown that Sky do not reach the people, particularly the young people who need to be attracted into the sport. We can only hope that the new TV deal will arrest cricket's decline in the nation's consciousness.
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I am sure that I have said it before but writing an editorial during the cricket season is a difficult task as events can quite rapidly overtake words and ensure that any comments I make rapidly become redundant. There has been some exciting cricket in 2017 though oddly (at the time of writing) more close finishes have been experienced in the County Championship than in white ball cricket. Additionally, there appears to be no one outstanding candidate for Player of the Year but perhaps this will also change over the next few weeks. Let us hope for an exciting and successful conclusion to the season.
BILL HORSLEY
Editor
The opinions expressed by the authors of articles in this newsletter do not necessarily reflect those of the editor or Northamptonshire County Cricket Supporters Club
JULY 2017
NEWS
Andrew Radd has been appointed as the new Honorary Archivist of Northamptonshire CCC. Andrew saw his first match at the County Ground back in 1972.
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Saif Zaib has signed his first professional contract with Northamptonshire which will see him remain at Wantage Road until the end of the 2018 season. Saif made his limited overs debut for the county against New Zealand A as a 15-year-old in July 2014.
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Another player extending his time with Northamptonshire is Richard Levi who put pen to paper for a two-year extension. Levi, who first joined the county in 2013 will now remain on the staff until the end of the 2019 season.
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An obituary of former Supporters Club committee member Hazel Church appeared in the June edition of The Cricketer magazine.
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Several players have recently made debuts or re-appearances for Northamptonshire.
Tom Sole made his List A debut in the match against South Africa hitting 54 and taking 1-69 as Northants lost by 13 runs. The 20-year-old Scot joined the county staff at the start of the 2016 season.
Also, making his Northamptonshire debut in the South Africa match was Chesney Hughes. Born 26 years ago in Anguilla Hughes also went on to make two Championship appearances. He left Derbyshire at the end of the 2016 season and has also played for the Leeward Islands in West Indies domestic cricket.
Returning to the Northamptonshire side for the tourist match was James Kettleborough. The Huntingdon-born 24-year-old left the county for Glamorgan on a two-year contract at the end of the 2014 season but was released by the Welsh county at the end of last season.
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With Seekuge Prasanna unavailable for T20 Blast matches due to injury Northamptonshire signed South African international Tabraiz Shamsi. The 27-year-old was born In Johannesburg and has so far appeared in 1 Test, 5 One Day Internationals and 2 T20 Internationals (in the recent series in this country) for his country. He also appeared for South Africa A in the recent series against England Lions. Additionally he has also played in the Caribbean and Indian Premier Leagues.
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My thanks go to my fellow Supporters Club committee member Jim Finney for pointing out an error in the quiz I set in the last edition. I stated that amongst Northamptonshire cricketers only Allan Lamb and Monty Panesar had appeared on the cover of Playfair Cricket Annual. In fact, in 1974 Bishen Bedi was featured.
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Tom Hewer Catering have been named as the new catering partner of Northamptonshire County Cricket Club. They will officially take over as of 1st October.
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Max Holden's loan spell at Northamptonshire was extended by an additional two matches thanks to an agreement between the county and Middlesex.
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Northamptonshire have introduced a Lifetime Season Ticket. The current prices for this are:
Age 45 and under: £6,000
Age 46 – 54: £4,600
Age 55 – 64: £3,600
Age 65 and over: f£3,000
The ticket includes the following benefits;
Entry to domestic Cricket competitions (excluding knockout matches and tourist games) staged at The County Ground
Seating in the Spencer Pavilion Executive Lounge
Complimentary tea and coffee in the Executive Lounge
1 Guest Pass for County Championship matches
1 Car Park Pass for County Championship matches
If you are interested in a Lifetime Season Ticket please email [email protected] or call 01604 514455 and ask for Matt.
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Two former Northamptonshire players played major roles in helping Scotland record their first ODI victory over a Test nation. Kyle Coetzer hit 109 in a Scottish total of 317-6 against Zimbabwe at Edinburgh. Con de Lange then took 5-60 as the Zimbabweans were dismissed for 272.
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Former Northants bowler Olly Stone finally made his return from injury for Birmingham Bears in a June T20 friendly against Shropshire at Bridgnorth. Stone was injured celebrating taking the wicket of Moeen Ali for Northants against Worcestershire last season.
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Max Holden was appointed as the captain of the England Under 19 team for their two match 'test' series against their Indian counterparts. Holden also led the side away in India last winter and at home to Sri Lanka in 2016.
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Mohammad Azharullah was ruled out of the entire T20 competition due to an injury to his right shoulder. The injury was sustained during the day/night championship match against Leicestershire.
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The Cricketer magazine predicted the Steelbacks to be knocked out at the Quarter-final stage of the Nat West T20 Blast.
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LONG STAYERS
The Cricketer recently listed a number of cricketers who racked up long first-class careers. Although no Northamptonshire cricketer comes close to the world record of the Indian CK
3 Nayudu (47 years from 1916/17 to 1963/64) several are worthy of note:
Dennis Brookes – 25 years 1934 to 1959
Nobby Clark – 25 years 1922 to 1947
Jack Timms – 24 years 1925 to 1949
Jim Watts began his Northants career in 1959 and ended it (after a couple of breaks) in 1980. One of the few cricketers to play in four different decades.
Jack Mercer who made one appearance for Northamptonshire in an emergency in 1947 had originally begun his first-class career with Sussex in 1919.
SECOND ELEVEN
Aigburth in Liverpool was the venue for the Seconds Championship encounter with Lancashire. The home side made 321 in their first innings with Aneesh Kapil (3-33), formerly of Surrey and Worcestershire the most successful Northants bowler. In reply Northants totalled 265 with Ewan Cox (62) top scoring. A declaration at 262-4 set Northants 319 to win. James Kettleborough (61) and Harry Adair (98) opened with a 115-run stand but the visitors were eventually out for 269 to lose by 49 runs.
In their final Trophy match Northants faced Nottinghamshire at Bedford School. Notts made 217-9 in their 50 overs with Atif Sheikh (3-35), formerly of both Derbyshire and Leicestershire the most successful Northants bowler. In reply Northants were bowled out for 194, D Davies (47) top-scoring.
Northamptonshire returned to Championship action against Nottinghamshire at Campbell Park, Milton Keynes in late May. Batting first Notts were 296-1 at one stage before eventually declaring at 387-8 with the wickets shared between five of Northants eight bowlers. James Kettleborough hit 117 out of Northamptonshire's reply of 264. Notts declared again at 154-8 (Chad Barrett 5-18) to set a victory target of 278. Northants closed on 92-3.
The Derbyshire weather restricted the Championship match at Belper Meadows to just 61.2 overs on the first day. The home side reached 201-8 with Richard Gleeson taking 3-56.
In mid-June, the Seconds combined with their Kent counterparts to play Warwickshire in a four-day match at Canterbury. Warwickshire won this match by seven wickets. Unfortunately, I have been unable to locate any additional details about this match.
A strong Northamptonshire line-up contested the opening pair of Second Eleven matches at the County Ground against Worcestershire. In the opening match the visitors were restricted to 138-9. Josh Cobb then hit 52 from 39 deliveries as Northants won by six wickets.
In the second match Rob Newton hit 56 from 35 balls as Northants reached 195-5. Ben Sanderson then took 4-31 as Worcestershire were contained to 180-6 despite 99 from Adam Wiffen.
The picturesque ground of Holcot was the setting for the Championship match between the same teams. Worcestershire recovered from 239-7 to declare at 380-9 with Ben Twohig hitting 83 and Saif Zaib taking 4-92. Sadly, Northants were bowled out for 167 and 142 to lose by an innings and 71 runs within two days. The major resistance in both innings came from D Davies who hit 60 and 54.
Returning to T20 action Lancashire were hosted at the County Ground for the next pair of matches. In the first match Northants made 120-6 (Richard Levi having to retire having made 12 from 6 balls) and the visitors were able to claim a seven-wicket win with more than five overs to spare. The second match saw Lancashire bat first and they posted 161-3 with Karl Brown hitting 101 in 73 balls. Northants' chase ended in a tense finish with a two-wicket victory only secured with a ball to spare. M Pepper (38) was top scorer.
Northants next travelled to Grantham to take on a strong Nottinghamshire team. In the first match Northants were bowled out for 166 with Saif Zaib (41) top-scoring. Notts recovered from 40-4 to win by five wickets in the 18th over. The second match saw Northants contained to 131-6. Notts won this game by nine wickets in the 19th over. 4
It was to Pudsey Congs CC that the Second XI ventured next for a pair of T20 matches against Yorkshire. In the first match Saif Zaib (50) top scored and despite a hat trick from the Tykes' James Wainman Northants made 173 for 7. Yorkshire lost only two wickets in achieving their target but only had one ball to spare. In the second match an unbeaten 116 from Alex Lees propelled Yorkshire to 201-4. Charlie Thurston (54) and Zaib (65) put Northants close. However only six runs came from the last over and the visitors fell just short at 199-6.
The two teams then moved on to York for a three-day Championship match. The match ended in a draw. Unfortunately, I have been unable at the time of writing to find a scorecard or report on this match.
THE STEELETOES
Lincolnshire were the visitors to the County Ground for the Steeletoes' second Royal London One Day Cup group match. Batting first the visitors were dismissed for 131 Patricia Hankins taking 4-28. Hayley Brown hit an unbeaten 50 as Northants claimed a six-wicket victory in the 37th over.
Their next match saw the team travel to Denver in Norfolk. The hosts were shot out for just 30 with Emily Starr taking 5-8. Northants won by ten wickets in the 11th over.
The next match on Spring Bank Holiday Monday involved a trip to Empingham to take on Leicestershire. Late order hitting from Farida Bibi (50) helped Northants reach 178. However, the weather prevented the hosts from replying ensuring a 'no result'.
THE WONDER OF BEN DUCKETT
I spent the first two days of the Kent match at Beckenham and would advise only experienced hill walkers to tackle the march from Beckenham Hill station.
Nevertheless, I was rewarded with a day and a half of Kent amassing 701-7 on what may be described as a shirt front and discovering Sean Dickson who made 318.
Ben Duckett and Rob Newton opened in reply, Rob looking to have booked in for ‘bed and breakfast’. Unfortunately, he fell to the wiles of Pakistani test leggie Yasir Shah, while Ben played with his accustomed élan, alternating improvised strokes with orthodox defensive methods. His reverse sweep gave me palpitations from time to time, but as always, the entertainment value was tremendous.
As Alex Wakely had mainly employed spinners, so Sam Northeast bowled Yasir Shah and James Tredwell and there were 2 extra overs allowing Ben to finish on a stirring 101 and Northants 180-1.
Our batsman usually give great entertainment value, and I wish the spectators well for the two remaining days. No doubt Ben will have it in mind to emulate Sean Dickson and reach the triple ton he was on track for against Sussex last season.
MICHAEL WELLS
FINAL NUMBERS
While watching what looked like a half full Lord's for the Royal London 50 over final, my mind went back to the full houses of yesteryear. In common with the FA Cup, both competitions have been downgraded by the prominence given to other trophies.
If anyone can tell me when full houses ended for cricket one day finals, please let me know. My online researches have been fruitless although maybe the answer may lie in the signal box. You Tube has a highlights package of Sky’s coverage of our last final, the 1996 B&H. I seem to recall very few empty seats that day.
I’m sure the fans make a big event of it and there is the bonus of shorter queues for food and drink, but the atmosphere of a packed Lords is very special, as the first day of an Ashes test, or a World Cup final proves.
For me it's a chicken and egg puzzle; did crowds drop away or did TV, lack of publicity and interest cause them to.
MICHAEL WELLS
NO.183 REMEMBERED – REGGIE NORTHWAY
If Reggie Northway is remembered today by Northamptonshire supporters it is for the tragic nature of his death. He was the driver of the car involved in an accident on the A50 near Kibworth in Leicestershire 26 August 1936 which caused opener Fred Bakwell to suffer the arm injury which ended his first-class cricket career. Northway was killed, his body being found in a ditch. He had just turned 30.
The pair had been returning from Northants' final match of the season, against the County Champions Derbyshire at Chesterfield. Bakewell, after a poor season Bakwell had made 241 not out.
Northway was born in what was then Ceylon on 14 August 1906. and made his first-class debut for Somerset against Gloucestershire in June 1929. His last Somerset appearance came in 1933.
He made 17 appearances for Northamptonshire in the 1936, some as Bakwell's opening partner. In a poor side, Northway totalled just 429 runs. His only score of over fifty came ironically against his old county 58 at Bath.
Reggie's elder brother Edward also played cricket for Somerset and the RAF.
BILL HORSLEY
WHAT'S NEXT?
It’s been a popular talking point for some time has T20 né 20/20. Talk of our franchise competition due by 2020 I believe, has been to the forefront of debate and conversation for some time. It's intended free to air TV coverage is to be applauded and the potential for huge crowds in the big city grounds is tempting.
While not wishing to put Mystic Mug sorry Meg out of a job, my thoughts have turned to the next big thing after T20. Premature I know but forward planning is a requisite of the business world and the embryo competition is likely to be the biggest commercial venture outside the Ashes series.
Looking back to the 40 over John Player League which was said to have saved English cricket, when this was supplemented by the B&H cup with its league/knockout format, and crowds were good at the tests all looked well. The Gillette Cup, 65 overs reduced to 60 had started the ball rolling in 1963, but I do not know the impact it had on crowds and finances. The JPL brought in the crowds and the BBC’s full match coverage surely made it the most important development in reshaping the game.
All these competitions have come and gone or been adjusted and altered, so we now have the championship, 50 over Cup and T20 Blast. Worldwide the old domestic tournaments may survive but the T20 is king. The Caribbean, Big Bash, IPL, Bangladesh, Pakistan have theirs and South Africa is recruiting with the plan to play at the end of the year.
T20 has grown worldwide over 13 years, although at home, at the County Ground, crowds seem lower than in the first flush. There were indications that IPL attendances had peaked but it seems a hugely popular competition regardless. For now, these 40 over battles are the biggest money spinners short of the Ashes tests.
It seems unlikely that the game can be shortened further or that the skills and techniques can be refashioned to a new format.
My feeling is that there will be sets of matches played at the biggest grounds, much the same as T20 finals day. This should fill grounds and keep the finances healthy and should involve 6 teams at a time. There might be a league championship as well as the group/knockout format. Here is where the counties such as our own might find itself demoted or marginalised. If franchises become the be all and end all, which counties might be able to sustain a separate competition. 6
Tests are a mystery because of the great number played, many in front of small crowds. I imagine the TV contracts and sponsorship keep this show on the road and wonder how long this will last. Maybe for a while as the many worldwide sports TV channels need to fill their schedules.
As for the 50 over format, it still provides entertainment and interest but other than the World Cup and key pairings i.e. England v Australia or India v Pakistan, the enthusiasm seems low key. Seeing so many empty seats for the recent Surrey v Notts final was disappointing especially as the match was high quality with two fine centuries from Stoneman and Hales.
Whatever does come along it seems certain that we County cricket supporters will have to endure regular changes to the schedule and the way the game is played. The latter is a fascinating process and I expect to see new strokes, deliveries and names for these things. I struggle to believe some bowlers who produce a long hop which is mishit, skied and caught planned it to perfection and still wonder how many slower balls lead to the ball remaining stationary. There have always been variations of pace and batting improvisation. Anyone privileged to watch Viv Richards step away to leg and loft over extra cover, or angle his bat to find a gap will feel that modern T20 batting is an embellishment of the great batsman in the 1970s. The fun is usually watching these things happen. All we can really do is learn and enjoy.
MICHAEL WELLS
SUPPORTERS CLUB PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Time does fly by, doesn't it? Very soon we will be giving you the chance to vote for your Northamptonshire Player of the Year. For the last two seasons Ben Duckett has been your choice but will he make it a hat trick in 2017? No player has yet won this award three years running. Voting forms will soon be available from the Signal Box. As has become the tradition we will aim to present the winner with his trophy during the final home Championship match of the season in September.
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Northamptonshire County Cricket Supporters Club would like to thank PDS Ltd (www.printdatasolutions.co.uk) for their assistance in the printing of this newsletter.
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ISSUE NUMBER 186 – FEBRUARY 2018
WEST STAND STORY
THE OFFICIAL NEWSLETTER OF
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE COUNTY CRICKET SUPPORTERS CLUB
FOUNDED 1988
northantscricket.com/community/nccc supporters club
Chairman & Treasurer: Mrs Linda Fisher, 110 Denmark Street, Bedford. Telephone: 07989844171 Email:
Secretary: Mrs Sheila Kent, 3 Gayhurst Close, Moulton, Northampton NN3 7LQ.
Email:
Membership Secretary: Dianne Ward, 97 Purser Road, Abington, Northampton NN1 4PG. Telephone: (01604) 281264. Email:
Newsletter Editor: Bill Horsley, 10 Delamere Road, Northampton NN4 8QG. Telephone: (01604) 765780. Email: .
Committee members; Ian Bonner, Jim Finney and Michael Wells.
ISSUE NUMBER 186 – FEBRUARY 2018
EDITORIAL
“Love is like the measles; we all have to go through with it.” Jerome K. Jerome (1859 - 1927)
It's always good to get into a new year and feel that another cricket season isn't too far away. Dark nights and cold mornings can start to drag. The recent Ashes series hasn't helped to lift the gloom.
As I was finalising this newsletter there came the news that Northamptonshire have signed New Zealand international Doug Bracewell as overseas player for the start of the 2018 season. Rory Kleinveldt is due to return to Wantage Road for the start of the 50 over competition against Leicestershire on 17th and Bracewell will be his 'locum'. The 27-year-old has appeared in 27 tests for NZ with best bowling figures of 6-40 against Australia at Hobart in 2011. This was NZ's first test win over their trans-tasman rivals for 26 years.
Doug was born at Tauranga, Bay of Plenty and is the son of former NZ Test cricketer Brendon Bracewell. His uncle John Bracewell both played for and coached the national side. In domestic cricket he plays for Central Districts and has hit two first-class centuries. At the time of writing he has also appeared in 15 ODIs and 14 T20Is for his country.
See you soon at the County Ground!
BILL HORSLEY
Editor
FEBRUARY 2018 FE
LUNCH WITH GUEST SPEAKER PROGRAMME 2017/18
The Supporters Club Lunch events with Guest Speaker will be held on the following Thursdays (all have a 1pm start time):
22 February – John Wood (NAB Commentary)
29 March – Steven Crook
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
The Northamptonshire County Cricket Supporters Club AGM will take place at the County Ground, Northampton on Wednesday 18 April at 7pm. Details of the agenda can be found elsewhere in this edition of West Stand Story.
COACH TO LORD'S
The Supporters Club has been asked to run a coach to each of the four days of the opening County Championship match against Middlesex at Lord's. The match commences on Friday 13 April and is scheduled to end on Monday 16 April. We will only run a coach if there is sufficient interest with a minimum of 50 people required for each day. Please contact us if you are interested.
SUPPORTERS CLUB MEMBERSHIP RENEWAL
If you pay your Supporters Club membership subscription annually or your five-year subscription expired in 2017 – it is now due. Please arrange to renew at a Supporters Club event or at the 'signal box' during the coming season. I must remind you that the new subscription rates are £5 per year and £25 for five years. Thank you for your help.
QUIZ
Answers: 1. Ken James, 2. Kettering and Peterborough (Town Ground), 3. Des Barrick, 4.Sydney Smith, 5. Three, 6. Bob Carter.
Northamptonshire County Cricket Supporters Club would like to thank PDS Ltd (www.printdatasolutions.co.uk) for their assistance in the printing of this newsletter.
FEBRUARY 2018
FRED GOLDSTEIN 1944 - 2017
Former Northamptonshire cricketer Fred Goldstein died in Cape Town, South Africa on December 3 aged 73. Bulawayo born Goldstein went to St Edmund Hall, Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar, captaining the Dark Blues in both 1968 and 1969. He also appeared for the International (Rothmans) Cavaliers in 1968.
His ten first-class and ten limited overs appearances for Northants all came in the latter season. His highest score was an innings of 90 against Glamorgan at the County Ground. The remainder of Goldstein's major cricket career was in South African domestic cricket with Transvaal (1969 - 71) and Western Province (1971 – 78). His innings of 77 in the 1972-73 Final of the South African version of the Gillette Cup helped Western Province win the trophy.
NEWS
As you may have heard by now on Thursday 12 July the County Ground will play host to another concert with girl group Little Mix coming to Wantage Road. This gig is part of 'The Summer Hits Tour 2018 which, amongst other venues also takes in the county grounds at Hove and Derby
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Ben Duckett has been left out of the England Lions tour of West Indies in February and March.
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Northamptonshire's 2018 season officially begins with a three-day match against Oxford UCCE at The Parks on Saturday 7 April. Their opening Championship match against Middlesex at Lord's starts the following Friday (13/4/18). The first home Championship match, against Warwickshire commences on Friday 20 April. Pakistan come to the County Ground for a four-day match starting on Friday 4 May.
The 50-over campaign begins on Thursday 17 May with Leicestershire the visitors. Sunday 20 May sees a new venue for Northamptonshire when they travel to Welbeck Colliery, Nettleworth to play Nottinghamshire in the same competition.
The opening T20 Blast fixture is against Leicestershire at the County Ground on Wednesday 4 July.
The season ends with the four-day Championship match against Sussex which commences on Monday 24 September.
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In South Africa's domestic Ram Slam T20 competition Northants T20 cricketer Tabraiz Shamsi was the most successful bowler with 16 wickets for Titans who won the competition beating Dolphins in the final at Centurion in December. His haul included 4-32 against Warriors in the semi-final. Cobras, who included Rory Kleinveldt went out of the competition at the semi-final stage when their match against Dolphins (who progressed due to a superior record in the round robin stage) was rained off.
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In December The Cricketer magazine produced a supplement called 'The Playing Fields of England” which detailed their selection of the top 100 cricketing schools in this country. Amongst many other details, it was interesting to note the following Northamptonshire-related information.
Tim Roberts is cricket professional at Eton College, whilst at King's College, Taunton both Ben Phillips and Dennis Breakwell (amongst others) fulfil this role. Others who are in this position are; John Blain and George Munsey (Loretto School, Musselburgh), Adam Shantry (Shrewsbury School), David Sales (Wellingborough School) and Steffan Jones (Wellington School, Somerset). Scott Boswell is Head of Cricket at Trent College, Nottingham.
Additionally, the following (by no means exhaustive) list details those listed as 'Cricketer of Note' in respect of their schools; Bedford Modern School – Peter Watts, Alan Fordham, Neil Stanley and Monty Panesar. Bedford School – Alex Wakely, Toby Bailey, Ian Peck, Christian Davis, James Kettleborough. Denstone College (Uttoxeter, Staffordshire) – Jeremy Snape, Framlingham College – David Larter and Rob Newton, Malvern School – Mike Cawdron, Oakham School – Josh Cobb, Oundle School – Tom Harrison (ECB Chief Executive), Rugby School – Richard Montgomerie, St Edward's School, Oxford: EJH Dixon, St Peter's School York – Steve Coverdale, Stowe School – Ben Duckett, Graeme White, Mark Nelson, Ben Howgego and Rob White, Whitgift School (Surrey) – Raman Subba Row and Matt Spriegel.
At Bedford Modern Neil Stanley holds the record for most number of runs in season – 1116.
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Northamptonshire's Tom Sole was named in Scotland's squad for their tri-series limited overs matches against Ireland and hosts United Arab Emirates in January. The Scots were captained by former Northamptonshire player Kyle Coetzer and the team also contained George Munsey. Sole played in the opening match against Ireland scoring 20 and taking 2-44.
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Ben Duckett and Richard Gleeson have both been selected in the North squad for the series of matches against the South which will take place in Barbados in March.
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Mike Hussey (who also played for both Gloucestershire and Durham) was named in two of the all-time County Championship 'Best XI' selections (by different criteria) in the February 2018 edition of The Cricketer magazine. In the same issue's 'Ultimate County Championship' Northants were 14th in the table with a win percentage of 27.66 (705 matches out of 2549). Yorkshire were top with 50.63% (2036 wins from 4021 matches)
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Former Northamptonshire player David Willey has again been playing for Perth Scorchers in the Australian Big Bash League.
NUMBER 186 REMEMBERED – ROBERT NELSON
Robert Prynne Nelson was born at Fulham, London on 7 August 1912. Educated at St George's School, Harpenden he went to Cambridge University, earning his Blue in 1936. In that year's Varsity Match at Lord's he hit 91, adding 133 with future England captain Norman Yardley.
Originally his county cricket was for Middlesex but following his appointment to a teaching post at Maidwell Hall in June 1937 he made his Northamptonshire debut against New Zealand tourists. In both his two full seasons with the county he totalled over a thousand runs – this included 74 against the 1938 Australian tourists.
Appointed as captain in 1938 Nelson took charge of a side in the middle of a very long run Championship matches without a victory, with this sequence standing at 99 he skippered the eleven that ended this lengthy 'drought' with an innings victory over Leicestershire in May 1939. Called upon by a jubilant home crowd to make a speech Nelson responded by saying: “We are naturally pleased to have broken our spell of bad luck. We hope further victories are in store” (This Championship victory had been preceded by a 78-run win over Nelson's old university earlier in the month.)
Sadly, this was to prove his only County Championship win as captain. Northants did not prevail in another match in the 1939 with war being declared in September would not prevail again in a Championship match until July 1946.
Wisden describes Nelson as having “the heartening influence of a buoyant personality” on a Northants side who the same source calls a “disorganised rabble” at the end of the 1937 season. He had promised to carry out as captain for one season after the war was over but tragically could not keep this promise.
During the war, Nelson was a Second Lieutenant in the Royal Marines. He was killed on 29 October 1940 when a bomb from an Italian aircraft exploded near the officers' mess at the Royal Marines depot in Deal, Kent. He is buried in the military section of that town's cemetery.
Nelson played 50 first-class matches for Northamptonshire between 1937 and 1939 scoring a total of 2359 runs (average 29.48). He also claimed 42 wickets (38.33) with his left arm spin.
THE DIFFERENCE
Having a lazy cricket morning, following Ashes wrap up, Big Bash with David Wiley playing for the Perth Scorchers (where do they get those names)’ I settled on the test in South Africa against India.
The contrast between Big Bash and 5-day cricket manifests itself, first of all by seeing test batsmen’s mistakes, including the great A B de Villiers, brought about by good bowling. In Brisbane, edges, top edges and Chinese cuts come mainly from batsmen realising they haven’t scored a boundary in the over. I long for one of the former test playing commentators to say that’s a slog, whereas they squeal and announce a slower ball or some other bowlers’ deception.
There’s also the obsession with sixes and the distance the ball travels, particularly emphasised by the IPL. Sixes were a rarity in the 50s and 60s and it was good to see one day cricket making them more common but I recently read Matthew Engel’s declaration that he doesn’t want to watch a 6 hitting contest.
The most alarming aspect of the BBL was what appeared to be the pitch side entertainment. A gang of boys and girls doing what looked like uncoordinated Dad dancing. After gymnastics, fire eating and disco dancing at T20 finals day, it looked way outside the image of the BBL.
T20 is here to stay for the time being, maybe to be supplanted by T10, but the 40 over format which rescued English cricket finances has outlived its purpose.
We need the pundits to remind us of the long game’s merits and we need opposition to the idea entertainment must be quickly over and spectacular.
MICHAEL WELLS
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