Twenty Years Ago Part Three

THE REFUGE ASSURANCE LEAGUE

This was a 40 over competition, with each county playing one another once, with the four top teams going into and ends of season Refuge Cup.

We got off to a great start, winning six of our first seven matches, the other a no result. Notts were beaten by 4 wkts, Essex next after we made 198-8, victory seemed comfortable with the visitors 115-8 but an unlikely 9^th wicket partnership between Pont & Topley got them close by were all out for115-8.

The no result was at The Oval, Middx made 200ao but with the home team in trouble at 31-3 down came the rain. Victories over Hants (28 runs, Jamie Sykes 57, Angus Fraser 3-19) and Sussex (53 runs, Butcher 77) cemented our position at the top of the table. Worcester were next a team challenging us at the top but a comfortable 45 runs victory was ours thanks to John Carr 68, and 3-26 from Simon Hughes. Northants away brought us our 7^th win, they made 200-8 but thanks to a magnificent 105* by Mike Gatting we won by 8 wickets. We suffered our first defeat in game eight v Somerset. They rattled up 247-5, mainly due to Steve Waugh’s superb 140 and despite 102 from Keith Brown we finished 27 runs short.

The next game took us to Repton School to play Derby, a devastating spell by Angus Fraser of 3-8 from 8 overs helped to dismiss the home team for just 130, but after we reached 32-0 the rain ended hopes of win number 8. Back to winning ways against Kent, although it didn’t look that way when chasing 188 to win we slumped to 141-8 but heroics from Fraser 30* and Hughes 18* saw us through.

The game v Glam was abandoned without a ball being bowled, and then thanks to 88 from Slack Warwickshire were beaten by 6 wickets. It looked like the league was there for the taking, but the wheels fell off over the last four games. At Grace Rd, we bowled Leics out for just 130 (Embers 3-15) but rain prevented us starting our reply, we suffered a 52 run defeat at Blackpool, where Mike Watkinson took 4-17.

Although we beat Gloucs on faster run rate by the time we played our last game Worcs were champions. We had already qualified for the Refuge Cup, just as well as we lost to Yorks, we made 150-9, Ramps 51, but Yorks were on there way at 143-6 from 35 overs when the rain washed the finish, the Red Rose winning on faster run rate.

The semi final of the Refuge Cup was more disappointment for Middx. We struggled with the bat and only thanks to a last wicket stand between Downton (30*) and Cowans (23*) got us to 146-9. This was never going to be enough once Graham Hick got in, he crashed 74 not out as Worcs won by 7 wickets with 9 balls to spare.

BENSON AND HEDGES CUP

We were group C, along with Sussex, Kent, Hampshire and Surrey. Games played over 55 overs, with the top two going into the Q-Finals.

Sussex at Lord’s was our first match, which we won fairly comfortably. Sussex made 182, with Imran Khan top scoring with 71, Gus Fraser taking 3-39, and we got home with over seven overs to spare thanks to Carr 62 and Gatting 56 no.

The old enemy were next, also at Lord’s. We batted first this time and with the help of a fine 72 from Gatt we posted 224 all out. This turned out to be a thriller. David Smith batting almost throughout the innings, taking Surrey close. The run chase was held up in mid innings by a superb spell of bowling by Embers, who although not taking a wicket, conceded only 29 from his 11 overs. Surrey then had to accelerate which they did thanks to Smith (85) and a quick 43* by Monte Lynch but fell just one run short on 223-5.

Kent, away next, and a fairly comfortable victory for Middx which put us through into the Q-Finals. Kent made 206-8 (Benson 61, Embers 4-42) and we won will over 9 overs to go at 207-4 (Gatt 68, Slack 47).

The last game was against an Essex side which had to win to also go through. We made a useful 236-9 (Butcher 75), but thanks to a splendid 75 from Alan Border Essex won by 5 wkts.

The Quarter Final at Derby was a bitter disappointment, with Middx never recovering from a poor start; Devon Malcolm claimed 5-27 as we were shunted out for just 110. The home team didn’t hang around and cruised to victory by nine wickets in the 31 over, Kim Barnett top scoring with 69.

Derby went on the Final but lost to Hampshire by 7 wickets, with Hant's Steve Jefferies taking 5-13.

THE NAT WEST TROPHY

In the First round we were drawn at home to Hertfordshire. The visitors had in their ranks three Middx old boys, in Andy Miller, Martin Olley Bill Merry. Miller was to top score with 44 as we restricted the Minor County side to just 142-7 from their 60 overs. Mike Gatting with 80* helped us home to an easy win by 8 wickets in just the 25 over.

Round Two saw us travel to Headingley. The bad weather meant this game was played over three days. At the end of day one we had completed our innings making 225-7, Gatting again in the runs with 74. The home side reply interrupted on more than one occasion finally ended at 188, with Fraser taking 4-34.

Q- Finals saw us back at Lord’s to face Kent. We were to make it three wins out of three one dayers against them. They struggled with the bat making only 195 from 38.3 overs, Angus Fraser figures of 2-20from 12 overs being the key. Roland Butcher made 64 as we breezed to the Semis at 199-5 from 50.5 overs.

The Semi Final, and the draw sent us to the Oval again. Middx batted superbly to set the home team a stiff target. Pretty well all the batsmen contributed runs with Butcher top scoring with 65, and despite a super 107* from Alec Stewart, Surrey were never in with a chance finally being beaten by 70 runs.

The Final was against Worcestershire a week before we played them in the Refuge Cup.

Angus Fraser bowled superbly at the top of the innings, getting the key wicket when he clean bowled Graham Hick for just four. Although Phil Neale scored a solid 64, Mike Gatting must have been delighted to bowl them out for just 161. But hang on; we slumped to 25-4, with the skipper run out for nought. Mark Ramprakash, two days short of just his 19^th birthday, and John Emburey got their heads down, saw off the threat of Graham Dilley (5-29) and helped to see us home by 3 wickets.

All in all not a bad season at all.

Bookmark or share this story with:

• Digg
• Delicious
• Facebook
• Reddit
• Stumbleupon

Related Articles:

• It Was Twenty Years Ago - Part Two of Three
• It was Twenty Years Ago......

SPORTNETWORK SPECIALS

• Think you know your sport? Click here to try the Sportnetwork Prize Quizzes