“Anything worth dying for is certainly worth living for.”
Joseph Heller (1923 -1999) American author.
Again Northamptonshire have proved to be a disappointment in the One Day Cup. Each season the 50 over campaign begins with high hopes which sooner or later are dashed. One bright spot of the competition has been the emergence of Gus Miller, we can only trust that he goes on to a long and successful career. Also Justin Broad has made several useful contributions.
By contrast the Steelbacks ended the group stage of the T20 Blast strongly. Qualification appeared to be in doubt but back to back wins over Birmingham and Lancashire not only secured that but also a home quarter-final. Its a shame that there has been such a gap between the end of the round-robin stage and the knockout matches. Hopefully this impetus can be regained.
The final stretch of the County Championship season begins with Northamptonshire still searching for their first win of the season. I am afraid that again this competition has been underwhelming from a Northamptonshire perspective despite a number of personal landmarks (at least on the batting side) being reached. Obviously fewer Championship matches are played nowadays than in any time in the past but a zero in the W column is never a good thing.
There is still the opportunity at the time of writing to make 2024 a season worth remembering from a Northamptonshire perspective – but will that chance be taken?
BILL HORSLEY
EDITOR
NEWS
Gary Hoffman has been voted in as Northamptonshire’s Chair elect and will officially replace Gavin Warren as NCCC Chair On 1st October.
*
Northamptonshire’s women’s team have been granted Tier 2 status in the new set up of the domestic game which commences in 2025.
*
Lord Naseby has announced his decision to retire as President of Northamptonshire CCC. He has been in the position since 2009, the longest serving in the role for over 100 years. Gavin Warren will take over the role when he steps down as Chairman in October.
*
Emilio Gay has announced that he will be leaving Northamptonshire at the end of the season having turned down the offer of a new contract . Gay made his county debut in the 2019 season. He is moving to Durham with whom he has signed a three-year contract.
*
Several Northamptonshire cricketers past and present are set to play in the Max60 Tournament in the Cayman Islands in mid-August. Sikander Raza, Andrew Tye, Chris Lynn and George Munsey line up for the Caribbean Giants, Saif Zaib for the Grand Cayman debut and Ravi Bopara for the Miami Lions
*
18 year old left arm seamer Tiaan Louw has signed a rookie contract with Northamptonshire. He was born in High Wycombe and educated in South Africa.
*
Northamptonshire CCC have announced a pre-tax profit of £86,813 for the 12 months ending on 31st January 2024.
*
Raphy Wetherall has signed a three-year contract with Northamptonshire, extending his stay at Wantage Road until the end of the 2027 season. The 19 year-old made his debut earlier this season.
SECOND ELEVEN
A planned intra-squad T20 match in late May was abandoned without a ball bowled.
Next came a pair of T20s against Gloucestershire at Cheltenham and both were lost. In the first Gloucestershire reached 186 for 6 before containing Northamptonshire to 139 for 8. The second again saw Gloucestershire bat first and reach 129 for 9 Michael Finan taking 3-18. However Northants were bowled out for 96.
At Taunton Vale Somerset won both T20 matches. Finan took 4-24 as the home side were dismissed for 126. Northants were 94 for 4 but collapsed to 122 all out. In the second match Northamptonshire made 140 for 7 batting first but Somerset overhauled this in the 17th over for the loss of five wickets.
Sadly this losing run continued with the matches against Glamorgan at Newport. The first match saw Glamorgan post a challenging 210 for 6 and 8n reply Northants could reach only 175 for 9. Setting a target in the second game Northamptonshire made 131 for 9. Glamorgan lost seven wickets in reaching their target but did so in the 16th over.
Northamptonshire returned to Championship action with a visit to Taunton Vale to play Somerset. Northants won the toss and put the home side in. Somerset totalled 431 despite 5-79 by Saif Zaib. George Bartlett’s 152 was the major feature of Northamptonshire’s reply of 317. He added 181 for the fourth wicket with James Sales (77). In their second innings Somerset were also dismissed for 317 Max Hunt taking 5-65. A second wicket partnership of 240 between Aum Raykar (111) and Aadi Sharma (166) was the cornerstone of the successful chase of 432, Zaib (63) also making fifty in a six wicket victory.
Another pair of T20 matches were scheduled against Warwickshire at Campbell Park, Milton Keynes but only one was played due to the weather. Warwickshire won it by seven wickets. Rain reduced Northamptonshire’s innings to 16 overs and George Bartlett made an unbeaten 65 in a total of 161 for 5. Warwickshire’s target was revised to 154 off 15 overs and they reached it with an over to spare.
Finally Northamptonshire won both T20 matches when they hosted Worcestershire at Overstone in July. In the first match Gus Miller (69) top scored in a total of 184-5. The visitors were then contained to 106-9 with all seven bowlers taking wickets. The second match was very similar, Northamptonshire again totalling 184-5 and Miller (55*) again top scoring. Worcestershire were then bowled out for 92 with Freddie Heldreich taking 3-13.
In a friendly limited overs match against London Schools at Finchley Northamptonshiree were bowled out for 170 with Jack Bates (50) top scoring. The Schools were in deep trouble at 17 for 5 but recovered to lose by only 1 run with James Sales taking 5-33.
The return match at the County Ground saw Arush Buchake hit 122 in an opening stand of 153 with James Sales (61). However from 219 for 5 Northamptonshire declined to 265 all out. London Schools were 75 for 5 but reached 219 before being bowled out with Raphy Wetherall taking 3 for 21 in a 46 run win.
NORTHAMPTONSHIRE WOMEN
The scheduled T20 matches against Cricket Shropshire and the Norfolk Cricket Board on June 16th were both cancelled.
Northamptonshire returned to action against Lincolnshire at Geddington. The visitors were bowled out for just 57 in the 23rd over, Trish Hankins taking 6-16. Hayley Brown hit an unbeaten 25 as Northants secured an eight wicket victory in the 9th over.
At Grace Road, Leicester Northamptonshire were put into bat and despite 47 from Amelia Kerr were contained to 113 for 6 in their 20 overs. Leicestershire lost four wickets and had three and a half overs to spare in claiming victory. Kate Fidler taking 3-31.
At Cokenach CC Northamptonshire won the toss and batted. Hayley Brown (40) top scored as they were bowled out for 134 in the 40th over. Holly Hammond-Lewis took 4-19 but Hertfordshire gained a four wicket win after 26 overs.
Geddington was the venue for two contrasting T20 matches for Northamptonshire. The first saw them bowled out for just 63 , with Worcestershire claiming a nine wicket win after 10 overs. The second saw Cambridgeshire dismissed for just 40 (Bethan Solomon taking 3 for 9. Northants won by 7 wickets in the 9th over.
Huntingdonshire conceded the scheduled T20 match at Geddington in early August.
Next up for Northamptonshire was a pair of T20 matches against Warwickshire at Geddington. Put in the visitors made 146 for 7 in the first match Beth Talbot claiming 2-22 in her 4 overs. In reply Northants were contained for 108 for 7 with Erica Turner (25) top scoring. The second match saw a similar outcome Warwickshire reaching 144 for 4 before Northamptonshire made 108 for 5 with Hayley Brown unbeaten on 47
NUMBER 225 REMEMBERED- BERNARD CORNELIUS
Bernard Cornelius made his only Northamptonshire appearance against Leicestershire at Grace Road, Leicester in August 1947. He made a duck in the first innings but was at the wicket (9*) when the visitors completed a six-wicket win.
Cornelius was born at Northampton in 1919 and he died at Towcester in 1987.
HEAD COACH HISTORY
Northamptonshire County Cricket Club have employed eight head coaches since 1991 when they first created that position.
Mike Procter (1991 and 1992), Phil Neale (1993 and 1994), Bob Carter (1995, 1999 to 2002) , John Emburey (1996 to 1998), Kepler Wessels (2003 to 2006), David Capel (2006 to 2012), David Ripley (2012 to 2021) and John Sadler (2022 to date) have been the eight coaches in charge at Wantage Road.
The strangest departure from the Club’s hot seat occurred on Friday 28th July 2006 when Kepler Wessels left during the third day of the County Championship match against Essex at the County Ground. Northants declared at 660 for 5 with three centurions, skipper David Sales (225), Stephen Peters (178) and Lance Klusener (124*). At the end of the second day Essex had reached 113 for 3. Then about one hour into the third day’s play and Wessels had ceased to be Head Coach of Northants.
Cricket 2006 edited by Jonathan Agnew on page 129 details “Wessels still had 14 months left on his contract but clashes with players and supporters over the direction he was taking the County in made his exit more of a relief than a surprise. “
In my opinion it was player power which caused Wessels’ to leave I attended a Fans Forum conducted by Chief Executive Mark Tagg and Wessels a little over 36 hours before the Head Coach’s departure. It was very cordial and supporters were pleased that he led the team to three quarter-finals during the past 13 months.
So I accept that some players were relieved to see Wessels go but at the same time the vast majority of the supporters wanted him to stay.
JOHN CLARK
DID YOU KNOW…?
Joe Stockdale one of the riders representing Great Britain in showjumping at the Paris Olympics played for Northamptonshire’s Second Eleven in 2018. He also appeared for Bedfordshire in the same season.
NEIL STANLEY 1968 – 2024
On the day of Northamptonshire’s One Day Cup match against Somerset came the sad news of the death of former Northamptonshire cricketer Neil Stanley.
Bedford born Stanley played for his native county in the Minor Counties Championship and also for England Young Cricketers in the first Under 19 World Cup, prior to making his Northamptonshire debut against Oxford University in 1988. In total he made 21 first class and 28 List A appearances before leaving at the end of the 1993 season. His only County Championship century was 132 v Lancashire at Lytham in 1991 (adding 236 for the third wicket with Allan Lamb).
He returned to play for Bedfordshire between 1994 and 2002, in addition to playing for a number of clubs in local cricket.
Neil Stanley died on 7th August 2024 aged 56.
LOOKING BACK
Fifty years ago in 1974 Northamptonshire made their first serious impact on the John Player League. Although not challenging to win the trophy 10 matches out of 16 were won and the team finally finished on 40 points , the same as Hampshire in fourth place.
1984 saw Northamptonshire reach the semi-final of the Nat West Trophy. The First Round match against then Minor County Durham at Darlington was tight – Northants reaching only 209 for 8 (Wayne Larkins 77) before bowling their hosts out for 198 with seven balls to spare , Neil Mallender claiming 2-16 in a frugal 12 overs. Drawn at home to Worcestershire , Northamptonshire were more comfortable in their Second Round match with Richard Williams hitting 94 out of 247 for 5 then Mallender (7-37) taking charge to bowl Worcester out for 117. The quarter-final was a local derby at Grace Road. Leicestershire set a target of 239 and an unbeaten 88 from Robin Boyd-Moss took Northants to a three wicket victory with 5 balls to spare. Sadly this run came to an end against Middlesex at Lord’s. New boy Rob Bailey hit an unbeaten 56 but 226 for 6 looked under par and so it proved with Mike Gatting making 88 not out in a eight wicket win for the hosts.
SUPPORTERS CLUB PLAYER OF THE SEASON 2024
It’s difficult to believe but it’s that time of year again when we ask you to choose your Player of the Season. We have been presenting this award for nearly 30 years now with the first winner being Allan Lamb back in 1993. All votes must be received (either by email or to the Signalbox ) later than Thursday 12th September. We will aim to present the winner with his trophy during the final match of the season against Leicestershire at the County Ground (17th to 20th September)
LUNCH WITH GUEST SPEAKER 2024 – 2025
The cost of each lunch is £22. Please contact Linda if you wish to book. You will need to give two weeks’ notice of attendance and advise of any dietary requirements.
Thursday 31st October – Guest Speaker:Gary Hoffman (new NCCC Chairman)
Thursday 28th November
Thursday 12th December
Thursday 30th January
Thursday 27th February
Thursday 27th March
All lunches start at 1pm with the exception of the December lunch which is 12.30pm.
QUIZ
With the Steelbacks into the T20 Blast quarter-finals this quiz is based on past matches at that stage.
- In which season did Northamptonshire first reach the T20 quarters?
- Which County did Northamptonshire lost to in the 2006 quarter-final?
- Who took 2-28 and hit an unbeaten 58 in the 2008 quarter-final at Chelmsford?
- Who was Man of the Match in the 2009 quarter-final against Hampshire?
- At which venue did Northamptonshire play their 2010 quarter-final?
- Who hit an unbeaten 58 in the 2013 quarter-final against Durham?each
- Who took 3-27 against Sussex at Hove in the 2015 quarter-final?
- Which County lost to Northamptonshire in the 2016 quarter-final?
- On what date did Northamptonshire play Gloucestershire in their behind closed doors quarter-final in 2020?
Answers: 1. 2005, 2. Nottinghamshire, 3. Nicky Boje, 4. Andrew Hall, 5, Taunton, 6. Cameron White, 7. David Willey (as well as hitting a hundred!), 8. Middlesex , 9. October 1st
Northamptonshire County Cricket Supporters Club would like to thank PDS Ltd (www.printdatasolutions.co.uk) for their assistance in the printing of this newsletter