1998

1998 Season

Death of Bill Blackburn

Cheshire cricket was stunned by the death during Toft’s Over 40’s match at Hyde on Wed 8th July of the highly-regarded Bill Blackburn, at the age of 50. A Lymm farmer, married with three children, Bill played his Saturday cricket at Mobberley and had previously served Timperley, Alderley Edge and Cheshire, winning the Wilfred Rhodes memorial Trophy in 1969 when he topped the Minor Counties batting averages



Club Events/Socials/Other Fixtures

Cheshire v Oxfordshire at Booths Park

This season will be played as a Round Robin - 24 clubs playing one another once = 23 fixtures







Team Achievements

2nd XI    - Losing Finalist in the 2nd XI KO (Urmston 111-10 v. Toft 105-10)

- Shaun Mudalige named 2nd XI KO Man of the Match

Over 40’s

- 3rd in League Table

U15’s

- 4th in Under 15’s League Table

Player Achievements

Nigel Muirhead(1)   

- 633 runs (av. 31.70)

- 95   v. Unknown

- 27 wkts (av, 21.44)

- A Top 10 All-Rounder (27 wkts and 633 runs)

Andy Bones(1)       

- 399 runs (av. 22.20)

- 79    v. Unknown

Palash Bhowmick(o)(1)   

- 483 runs (av. 28.40)

- 83v. Unknown

Richard Hardstaff(1)   

- 347 runs (av. 21.70)

- 90   v. Warrington

Dave Mitchell(1)   

- 57*   v. Bowdon

Ron Locke(1)        

- 56 wkts (av. 17.82)

- 7-79    v. Neston

- 6-31    v. Birkenhead Pk (21.2ov)

- 6-66    v. Alsager

- 6-70   v. Warrington

- 6-55   v. Grappenhall

Paul Bertenshaw(1)

- 48 wkts (av. 13.02)

- 5th in league averages

- 8-43    v. Brookland

- 7-31    v. Sale

Colin Meadows (WK)   

- 27 Dismissels (14c + 13s)

Peter Green(2)       

- 637 runs (av. 49.00)

- 76    v. Unknown

Adi Walker(2)   

- 365 runs (av. 40.53)

- 82*   v. Unknown

Dave Mitchell(2)   

- 349 runs (av. 34.90)

- 65*   v. Unknown

Brian Coutts(2)    

- 38 wkts (av. 16 34)

- 7-24    v. Alsager

Ron Locke(2)       

- 5-31   v. Timperley (21.1 ov)

Shaun Mudlidge(2)   

- 99   v. Timperley (Stumped)

Simon Locke(2)       

- 62   v. Timperley

Andy Hodgson(2)   

- 33 wkts (av. 17.24)

- 6-53    v. Warrington

Billy Bradshaw(2)   

- 25 wkts (av. 17.32)

Gareth Murdey(3)    

- 431 runs (av. 71.83)

- 118    v. Winnington Park

- 109*    v. Cheadle

N Lea(3) '''

- 276 runs (av. 39.43)

- 130*    v. Winnington Park

- 15 wkts (av. 9.86)

- 1st in 3rd XI Sun Div A Bowling Averages

- 2nd in U15’s Bowling Averages

Mike Townsend(3)   

- 286 runs (av. 26.10)

- 72    v. Unknown

N Hudson(3)       

- 15 wkts (av. 15.73)

Ben Crouch(3)        

- Best all round performance 74 and 4-34 v. Heaton Mersey

V Bhardwa(U11)   

- 3rd in U11 Batting League Table

Adam Carolan(U15)   

- Junior Player of the year

- 1st in U15’s Batting Averages (7inns, 6no Av. 238.00)

Player Batting Partnerships

2nd wkt (2)       - 119 v. Timperley     - Shaun Mudalidge (99) and Simon Locke (62)

Player Representative Honours

Mark Mudalige        - played for the League Senior Colts

Eddie Bones        - played for the League ‘A’ Team Colts

R Lea            - played 3 times for the League Under 15’s

Adam Carolan       - played 4 times for the League Under 15’s

N Thacker       - played once for the League Under 15’s

V Bhardwa       - played twice for the League Under 11’s

Joan Hill the Toft scorer became the secretary of the new style Umpires and Scorers    Association

Match Highlights

Toft v. Warrington, Warrington all had bleached blond hair after the Romanias had the same in the football World Cup played in France prior to their game against Tunisia – all in the name of team bonding.

Birkenhead Pk 82.10 (from 43.2 ov) v, Toft 83-6 (from 32.5 ov) Ron Locke 6-36 from 21.2 ov

Compiler Jeff Tenner