Author Comments

My team is selected from all the players I took the field with during my time at the club excluding all those from overseas.

I joined as a twelve year old in 1971, scoring for the first XI on Saturdays and Sundays. There was no colts section and only two teams on each day of the weekend. Annual Subs for a Full Playing Member were £5.25p. Match Fees thirty seven and a half pence! Yes, I was in 'Life on Mars' the first time round. I began playing for the mens teams three years later.

Apart from one season at Hutton I played every year until I left in 1993. Any players after this date I have not considered.

NICK KNIGHT opened the batting with me during his first season at the club and it was obvious from he start he was a class act. His medium pace bowling complimented his batting and he was a brilliant fielder in any position. Just when batsmen thought they had the measure of them he would slip in a wicked bouncer. As I always stood up to the stumps to him it kept me on my toes too.

Along with Nick, GRAHAM WALKER and RICHARD REED were members of the side that nearly won the league in the 1980's. Both were super confident in their own abilities and on their day either one could take any bowling attack apart.

Perhaps it is forgotten that SALTY first played as a wicket-keeper/batsman but gave up the gloves to give youth a chance. Jeffrey added some northern wit, grit and stacks of runs. He is also keeping wicket in my team.

MICKEY 'MOUSE' DAVIS was a fantastic fielder and the most effective middle-order batsman. Full of energy he always took the attack to the bowlers. Always a positive influence in any team he played in.

BRIAN BAKER shared the First XI captaincy with Bobby Mayes throughout the 1970's and was an elegant left-handed batsman. He was also a brilliant short leg/leg slip fielder. What tips the balance for him however was his captaincy. The best I ever played under.

One more wicket in a fixture against Hadleigh in the mid 1970's when they were nine wickets down and Brentwood would have won the league a few decades sooner than they did. Two bowlers from that era are PETER BROWN and GWYNN HARRIES. Peter as a quick bowler was the complete package. Swing, seam and most importantly pace with control. Gwynn was medium/quick and always on the money, doing just enough to beat the bat. He always wanted me to stand up to the stumps when he bowled. Batsmen were so suprised when he sent one down the leg side I always had the chance of a stumping.

RICHARD 'DICKIE' MEE was another wicket-taking bowler. When he put it all together his in-swing bowling at fast/medium was as stern a test as any batsman could face.

Left arm spin would be provided by another player from a bit further back, BILL BATEMAN. Bill extracted the maximum turn from every pitch he played on. With all the subtle variations of a master craftsman he had the 'bottle' to take on the best.

Off-spinner KEITH GOODMAN completes the team. Keith's wonderful control was acquired from hours of practice. He would first stop the batsman scoring, then make them hit the ball straight down the throat of one of his carefully positioned fielders. Simple!

PAUL 'TIGER' ADAMS would have to be the umpire and of course CHRIS STUART the scorer.

All played the game in the correct spirit. To win and have fun. It would have been great in the bar too!