IT WAS TWENTY YEARS AGO……..

A wise man once said “Comeback, you live in the past!.  In that spirit, come back with me now back 20 years to the summer of 1988.

In the first part of this feature we shall cover the first half of the County Championship season.  In the second feature, we shall cover the second half.  And in the third and final feature, we shall cover the one-day competitions and remember some silverware.

BRIT. ASS. COUNTY CHAMPIONSHIP

It was an historic season for the Championship, sponsored by Britannic Assurance, as the TCCB (as they were known then) decide to dip their toes into 4 day cricket. Each team would play three 4 day games at the start of the season and three at the end.

Notts a Great Start?

The first game of the season was played at Lord’s starting 21^st April. It was a match that Middx were to turn on its head and show the possible qualities of the four day game.

Mike Gatting won the toss and elected to bat. Paul Downton, opening the batting fell without scoring and an early batting collapse followed and by mid morning we were 46-5. A good stand between Roland Butcher (73) and John Emburey (61) rallied the home team to 182-6 before losing the tail and we were all out for 199. Notts reply was solid if unspectacular, Chris Broad made 68, Mike Newell 80 and a few big hits from Franklin Stephenson (63) took Notts to 308 all out Angus Fraser the pick of the bowlers with 6-75.

A poor start threatened when we were reduced to 51-2 but then the game changed direction dramatically. John Carr and Mike Gatting put on 161 for the third wicket and when Carr was out for 106 Gatt and Keith Brown added 264 runs in good time for the 4^th. The skipper was finally dismissed for 210 and when he declared at 505-5, Brownie was 131no.

That left the visitors to score 397 to win in just over a day. Superb bowling again by Gus meant they never got near, being bowled out for just 155. Fraser finishing with 6-62 and twelve wickets in the match. Middx won by 241 runs (Middx 19pts, Notts7)

Battle of the 'Sexes

Next up was another home game against Essex. Graham Gooch won the toss and decided to field. Most of the batsmen got a start but were unable to go on with no one except John Carr (66) making 50 but thanks to a late 44 from Williams Middx made 263 all out. At the close of Day one the visitors were 62-1.

However, the bowlers fought back on Day 2, Gooch made 43, Alan Border 30 but a mid order collapse saw them lose their last 5 wickets for 39 runs with Williams taking 6-42 Second time round Wilf Slack made a solid 65, but again batting was not easy until Embers, batting at seven blasted 76no to help Middx declare at 275-8 at the close of day three.

Set 352 to win Essex struggled all day, only Alan Lilley with 52 hung around and for the second successive match a Middx bowler finished with 12 wickets in the match. This time it was Neil Williams who took 6-42 as the visitors were all out for 175 and Middx won by 176 runs ( M 23, E5). That left Middx top of the league at the end of the month.

Graced With Our Presence

Up to Grace Road for the match v Leicestershire. The home team was put in and was soon all out for just 114, losing their last 6 wickets for just 10 runs, Neil Williams containing his great start to the season with 5-46. Middx quickly took control of the game, John Carr making 144, Keith Brown 58, putting on 212 for 1^st wicket (after Wilf Slack retired hurt on four) before we suffered a batting collapse 281-3 to 329 all out, with Jonathon Agnew taking 5 wickets.

Second time around the home team fared much better, led by David Gower’s 74 and 55 from James Whitaker they looked like making us work for victory but yet another crash of wickets saw them go from 233-5 to 265. Williams taking 10 wickets in the match for the second time. That left Middx just 58 to win which they knocked off in no time. Played 4, won 4, top of the league, we were dancing in the streets of Richmond that night little knowing we would not win another CC game until early August!!

Worcs of the Weather

The next couple of matches were badly affected by rain, no play at all on day one of the home match v Worcs, on the second day the visitors made 333-8 with Tim Curtis scoring 108, before declaring overnight, a double forfeit of innings set Middx 334 to win but a superb spell of seam bowling by Phil Newport (8-52) saw us skittled for just 124 as we suffered our first CC defeat.

Angry of Tunbridge Wells

The rain then made the wicket at Tunbridge Wells a seamers paradise, as 20 wickets fell on the first day. Put in we were bowled out for 92, with only Gatt and Brown making double figures, it was no easier for Kent, all out for 110, Angus Fraser 4-30. Middx batted much better in the second innings as the wicket eased, Gatting (76), Downton(74) put us in a good position to set a challenging target but Roy Pienar came on to bowl his off breaks , taking 5-27 as we were dismissed for 272. Set 254 to win Kent cruised home by 6 wickets thanks mainly to Mark Benson’s 110.

Bounty for the Bowlers

Next was a visit to the May’s Bounty ground in Basingstoke to face Hants. This is a ground I know so well having played for Basingstoke there in the Mid 70s. Sadly for all concerned at the club, the wicket once again helped the seamers with 17 wickets falling on day one. Hants made 136, Nicholas (39), Gus Fraser 5-34 from 21 overs. Middx then fell to 96-7 before Simon Hughes made 34 before being run out and we had a lead of 13 on first inns.

Again batting in the second inns of a match proved so much easier, this take a superb 150 not out by David Turner helped Hants to 312-9d, although at one stage they were 203-7. This left Middx 300 to win but we were not interested and the game was drawn at 186-4, with Mike Gatting making 104.

Paradise Drawn

Another away game followed, this time to Luton to take on Northamptonshire. To be honest this never looked like anything but a draw. Northants made 338 ( Capel 92) The highlight as far as Middx were concerned was when Angus Fraser had Duncan Wild caught at slip by Gatt, giving Gus his 100^th first class wicket. We made 277, Butcher 61, and Ian Hutchinson 25 on his debut. Close of play after day 2, the home team were 122-1 but never really pushed on for victory. They declared at 235-5, and we batted out the draw at 236-6.

In Summary, Weather

The next six games were badly affected by the weather. Essex (a), Yorkshire (h) and Derby (a) lost most of the available overs and petered out to draws.

At Trent Bridge there was no play on Day one, and the close of Day 2 Notts were 63-3 in their 1^st innings. This meant under the rules that it became a one innings match. Notts were dismissed for 173 (Fraser 5-43) but superb bowling by Franklin Stephenson (6-45) meant we went down by 40 runs to take no points at all.

Returning to Lord’s we had slightly better weather for the game v Glamorgan and both sides tried to make up for the overs that were lost. After the bowlers had held sway over the last few games it was good to see the runs flow from the home batsmen. Middx made a huge 420-3 before declaring, Mike Gatting making 180 and Wilf Slack 163 putting on 284 for the 3^rd wicket.

Hugh Morris made 87 as the visitors declared behind at 298-4, Middx dashed to 191-1d from just 57 overs (Slack in the runs again 105*). Glam were set 313 to win but a poor start meant they were always playing for a draw. Matt Maynard made 64, but despite John Emburey and Andy Needham getting through 57 out of 79 overs with spin, the visitors held out for the draw at 265-8, Needham (5-125).

The bad weather returned when Surrey visited the following week. So much so that they were still batting at the end of day two. On the last morning they finally declared at 334-9 (Clinton 100, Embers 6-94) We called a stop at 28-0, Surrey forfeited their second innings. We made a good fist of chasing victory but with the game nicely poised at 185-3 (John Carr 97) the rain returned and that was that.

Parts Two and Three will follow very soon......

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