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Decade |
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Match
batting records |
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real
page of extremes this. On the one hand, run gluts in the sun on spiffing
tracks (we stretch a point, it was wet and cold on 10 May 1992 and 17 June
1995), on the other, dismal collapses on Council minefields. The most
notable feat of gluttony is without doubt West XI’s 263 for 6 off 40 overs
in 1992, as The Gents had a full-strength side out and the match was
extremely competitive. It will probably never be beaten in a Gents game.
Orgies of scoring can never truly be compared, due to subtle variables such
as the quality of the pitch, standard of the bowlers and state of the game.
Taking all this into account, one might rate The Gents’ No.1 innings the 254
for 5 against The Weasels, 214 for 6 against London Saints and 209 for 7
against West XI, plus the 170 for 9 v. Virgin and 155 for 5 v. West XI while
chasing, as their finest hours with the bat. The Gents 254 for 5 in 1991 was
the club’s highest at the time by 68 runs. The 201 all out v. Southampton in
1996 was achieved with a batting line-up described by guest Phil Hill before
the game as “crap.” Not featured below, but a contender for the Lifetime
Underachievement Award, is the 72 for 9 in the final of the 1997 President’s
Cup toughed out by a galaxy of talented batsmen which featured Chainsaw
Mitchell batting as low as Seven.
Gents attacks have improved in recent years so the two
Yorkshire demolition jobs in 1993 and 1995 are notable. Stuart Snelling’s
first Gents game was against Rotherham. His analysis? 7-0-46-0! It is
slightly surprising that The Weasels have never topped 200 against The
Gents; after all, they ripped 262 off the flesh of local rivals West XI in
1997. More predictable are the three 200-plus scores posted by The Beggars
themselves in the early years of the decade.
Sneer warily, you cynics, at the lowest innings, as the
batting sides frequently had fewer than eleven good men and true. Enterprise
pitched up with only seven men to record their 17 all out (and seven men
plus a boy for their 32 all out), the same number as Old Cubbs had two years
later at Wandsworth. The truly dismal innings here are those “achieved” with
a full complement of players, or, even sadder, brimful with an unlucky
thirteen, as happened to The Gents at Boston Manor in 1989.
|
|
Highest totals (S = batting second) |
|
|
Gents |
|
|
|
Opponents |
|
|
|
1 |
256-5 dec.
|
London Owls |
31 July 94 |
1 |
West XI |
263-6 |
24 May 92 |
|
2 |
254-5 |
NB Weasels |
1 Sept 91 |
2 |
Rotherham
SC |
242-5 |
7 May 95 |
|
3 |
250-6 |
Enterprise |
14 May 95 |
3 |
London Owls |
239-0 S |
5 Sept 93 |
|
4 |
246-3 |
Enterprise |
10 May 92 |
4 |
EH Cheetahs |
225 all out |
4 Aug 96 |
|
5 |
235-9 dec. |
London Owls |
5 Sept 93 |
5 |
Enterprise |
223-7 S |
10 May 92 |
|
6 |
223-6 |
Enterprise |
2 May 93 |
6 |
Enterprise |
212-6 |
28 Apr 91 |
|
7 |
214-6 |
London
Saints |
5 Aug 93 |
7 |
West XI |
212-7 |
12 Aug 90 |
|
8 |
214 all out |
NB Weasels |
17 June 95 |
8 |
West XI |
201-7 |
18 Aug 91 |
|
9 |
213-7 dec. |
Rotherham
SC |
4 Sept 94 |
9 |
NB Weasels |
198-8 S |
1 Sept 91 |
|
10 |
209-7 |
West XI |
20 July 97 |
10 |
12 Angry
Men |
196-5 dec. |
29 May 94 |
|
11 |
208 all out |
Enterprise |
13 July 97 |
11 |
EH Cheetahs |
191-5 |
24 June 89 |
|
12 |
201 all out |
London
Saints |
17 Aug 96 |
12 |
NB Weasels |
186-5 S |
14 June 97 |
|
| |
|
Highest totals batting second (W = winning total) |
|
|
Gents |
|
|
|
Opponents |
|
|
|
1 |
186-3 W |
Enterprise |
29 Apr 90 |
1 |
London Owls |
239-0 W
|
5 Sept 93 |
|
2 |
185-5 W |
Wandham |
5 June 94 |
2 |
Enterprise |
223-7 |
10 May 92 |
|
3 |
172-6 W |
NB Weasels |
18 June 94 |
3 |
NB Weasels |
198-8 |
1 Sept 91 |
|
4 |
170-9 W |
Virgin
Casuals |
30 June 96 |
4 |
NB Weasels |
186-5 W |
14 June 97 |
|
5 |
164 all out |
EH Cheetahs |
4 Aug 96 |
4 |
London
Saints |
183-8 |
17 Aug 96 |
|
6 |
162-9 W |
NB Weasels |
25 July 93 |
5 |
FC Chad |
173 all out |
9 June 96 |
|
7 |
160 all out |
West XI |
21 May 95 |
6 |
West XI |
170 all out |
3 July 94 |
|
8 |
155-5 W |
West XI |
23 July 95 |
7 |
Urban
Associates |
164-9 W
|
11 Aug 96 |
|
9 |
149-7 |
West XI |
18 Aug 91 |
8 |
West XI |
159-5 W |
21 July 96 |
|
10 |
148-5 W |
Old
Cubbonians |
17 May 92 |
9 |
London
Saints |
155 all out |
13 July 96 |
|
10 |
148-8 W |
London
Saints |
20 Aug 95 |
10 |
Urban
Associates |
152-7 W
|
10 July 94 |
|
| |
|
Lowest innings totals batting first (W = winning total) |
|
|
Gents |
|
|
|
Opponents |
|
|
|
1 |
51 all out
W |
London Owls |
5 May 91 |
1 |
Enterprise |
32 all out |
22 May 94 |
|
2 |
69 all out |
West XI |
15 May 94 |
2 |
FC Chad |
48 all out |
25 Aug 96 |
|
3 |
71 all out |
West XI |
17 June 89 |
3 |
London
Saints |
49 all out |
7 June 97 |
|
4 |
72 all out
W |
Enterprise |
22 Aug 93 |
4 |
West XI |
56 all out |
18 Sept 94 |
|
5 |
72 all out |
NB Weasels |
28 July 96 |
5 |
Lager Louts |
68 all out |
24 Apr 94 |
|
| |
|
Lowest completed innings totals batting second |
|
|
Gents |
|
|
|
Opponents |
|
|
|
1 |
54 all out |
EH Cheetahs |
11 June 89 |
1 |
Enterprise |
17 all out |
8 Sept 91 |
|
2 |
58 all out |
Sunderland
SC |
5 July 97 |
2 |
Old
Cubbonians |
29 all out |
9 May 93 |
|
3 |
69 all out |
EH Cheetahs |
30 June 91 |
3 |
Enterprise |
37 all out |
13 July 97 |
|
4 |
87 all out |
West XI |
26 May 91 |
4 |
London Owls |
42 all out |
5 May 91 |
|
5 |
90 all out |
West XI |
14 June 92 |
5 |
Enterprise |
45 all out |
22 Aug 93 |
|
|
|
Partnership records |
| |
|
ecord
stands are the most alluring data in the whole domain of cricket numerology.
On often poor pitches, with sometimes very little time to settle at the
crease and a clutch of wickets down for not many runs, the batsmen shown
below turned games around, snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, (or in
the case of Hadfield and Davies of TAM a draw from the jaws of victory, by
batting for about five weeks while the former ground out his ton), evoked
many other clichés and generally acted like the large-willied characters
they undoubtedly are.
Predictably, The Gents’ top-order stands were winning ones,
although some others were defiantly set in defeat, Burvo manning the Rorke’s
Drift Gatling Gun in three of them. Masher figures in seven records, Hubbs
in three. Oppo Mick Walker (Rotherham SC) and Mark Davies (12 Angry Men)
appear twice while Charles Arthur has three times participated in hundred
stands if not in any actual wicket records. The oppo seventh, ninth and
tenth wicket records were set in similar circs, batsmen going out in a blaze
of glory. The oldest Gent record (tenth wicket) dates from the very first
game, and has never been remotely threatened. Surprisingly, no oppo record
stands survive from The Gents’ Blunder Years; the list is of consistently
more recent vintage. As odd, The Gents’ defeats on 5 September 1993 and 4
August 1996 were both illuminated by a record wicket stand on each side,
confirming a masochistic streak a mile wide down the spine of GWLCC! Only
twelve of the record stands were set in victories for the side which posted
them.
London Owls’ restrained and attritional 239 for the first
wicket will probably never be beaten, yet Gents’ stands creditably take the
silver and bronze medals. Of the other ton stands, Mr Wright has figured in
the third and fourth highest club stands ever, and epic they were too, yet
neither was a record for the wicket. Record stands are all very well but if
they turn a match as well that is doubly impressive. For that reason, the
partnerships for The Gents’ second, fourth and fifth wickets are possibly
their best, although many commentators would need persuasion that the
Ashton/Wright project during the Battle of Brentford was not the best ever
seen in a Gents game, given the quality of strokeplay and the match position
they inherited of 27 for four, chasing 155 to win and 0-1 down in the
series. Well done everybody in these lists. |
| |
|
Highest partnership for each Gents' wicket |
|
1st |
121 |
Steve
Bignell (34) and Nick Hubbocks (78) |
2 May 93 |
Enterprise |
Victoria
Rec |
|
2nd |
80 |
Nick
Hubbocks (56) and Dave Thornicroft (21) |
7 Aug 94 |
12 Angry
Men |
Overton
Road |
|
3rd |
156 |
Nick
Hubbocks (67) and Mark Ashton (137*) |
10 May 92 |
Enterprise |
Victoria
Rec |
|
4th |
111 |
Ian Maughan
(46) and Mark Ashton (66*) |
30 July 89 |
Enterprise |
Lampton
Park |
|
5th |
152 |
Mark Ashton
(102) and Mike Hughes (57*) |
15 Aug 93 |
London
Saints |
Victoria
Rec |
|
6th |
81 |
Mark Ashton
(84*) and Mark Burville (25) |
4 Aug 96 |
EH Cheetahs |
Beverley
Park |
|
7th |
88* |
Mark
Burville (44*) and Ian Richmond (45*) |
14 June 97 |
NB Weasels |
Berrylands |
|
8th |
59 |
Mark
Burville (39) and Mark Ashton (40) |
5 Sept 93 |
London Owls |
Victoria
Rec |
|
9th |
45 |
Mark Ashton
(58*) and Stuart Snelling (15) |
7 Sept 97 |
FC Chad |
Victoria
Rec |
|
10th |
38 |
Mark Ashton
(42) and Milton Jolin (guest) (4*) |
22 May 88 |
West XI |
Boston
Manor |
|
| |
|
Other century partnerships for The Gents |
|
3rd |
129 |
Nick
Hubbocks (96) and Jim Wright (28) |
5 June 94 |
Wandham |
Beverley
Park |
|
3rd |
126 |
Jim Wright
(50*), Mark Ashton (51*) and Sanjay Patel (26) |
13 July 97 |
Enterprise |
Long Ditton
Rec |
|
3rd |
115 |
Ian Maughan
(57) and Mark Ashton (72*) |
29 Apr 90 |
Enterprise |
Victoria
Rec |
|
4th |
102 |
Steve
Bignell (59) and Mark Ashton (62) |
25 June 94 |
London
Saints |
Town Park |
|
5th |
127 |
Mark Ashton
(71) and Jim Wright (50*) |
23 July 95 |
West XI |
Boston
Manor |
|
5th |
126 |
Rich Wilman
(54) and Mark Ashton (93*) |
1 Sept 91 |
NB Weasels |
Peel Centre |
|
| |
|
Highest partnership for each wicket against The Gents |
|
1st |
239* |
Richard
Bulmer (140*) and Craig Maddocks (87*) |
5 Sept 93 |
London Owls |
Victoria
Rec |
|
2nd |
127 |
Mick Walker
(150*) and Paul Mason (44) |
7 May 95 |
Rotherham
SC |
Battersea
Park |
|
3rd |
137 |
Neil
Hadfield (102) and Mark Davies (33) |
29 May 94 |
12 Angry
Men |
Victoria
Rec |
|
4th |
138 |
Andy Jaques
(107) and D Torbe (65) |
4 Aug 96 |
EH Cheetahs |
Beverley
Park |
|
5th |
84* |
Bill Flack
(67*) and Derek Kirkwood (35*) |
24 July 94 |
NB Weasels |
Victoria
Rec |
|
6th |
80 |
Mark Davies
(66) and W Russell (28) |
26 May 96 |
12 Angry
Men |
British
Gas, Acton |
|
7th |
58 |
Mick Walker
(83*) and Dave Baister (10) |
4 Sept 94 |
Rotherham
SC |
Victoria
Rec |
|
8th |
49* |
Chris
Folley (39*), Paul Christensen (25*) and Nick (2*) |
18 Aug 91 |
West XI |
Gunnersbury
Park |
|
9th |
53* |
Jeremy Best
(103*) and Jez Owen (20*) |
1 Sept 91 |
NB Weasels |
Peel Centre |
|
10th |
52 |
Keith
Dimond (37) and G Heap (11*) |
31 Aug 97 |
Enterprise |
Victoria
Rec |
|
| |
|
Other century partnerships against The Gents |
|
1st |
117 |
Mike Hughes
(88) and Ron Stefan (62) |
28 Apr 91 |
Enterprise |
Gunnersbury
Park |
|
1st |
105 |
Charles
Arthur (66) and Steve Bignell (58*) |
11 Aug 91 |
West XI |
Boston
Manor |
|
2nd |
111 |
Nigel
Wilson (107) and Dave Penny (41) |
5 June 94 |
Wandham |
Beverley
Park |
|
2nd |
111 |
Jeremy Best
(75), Jim Patrick (27) and Dave Raderecht (30) |
18 June 94 |
NB Weasels |
Berrylands |
|
2nd |
107 |
Paul
Christensen (71) and Charles Arthur (45) |
14 June 92 |
West XI |
Boston
Manor |
|
2nd |
101 |
Mick
Smalldon (50*), Ernie Tattersdill (51*) and John Petley (2) |
24 Aug 97 |
NB Weasels |
Berrylands |
|
3rd |
135 |
Clyde Seale
(92) and Charles Arthur (91*) |
24 May 92 |
West XI |
Victoria
Rec |
|
3rd |
117 |
Steve Tait
(76) and Paul Radmall (48) |
29 Apr 90 |
Enterprise |
Victoria
Rec |
Note; during
the stand for the 2nd wicket Jeremy Best retired hurt and was
replaced by Dave Raderecht |
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©The Gentlemen of West
London Cricket Club 2006
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