Belhus Cricket Club

1989           1989
Highlights
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1989 can be regarded as a successful season for the club.  Both 1st and 2nd XIs regularly fielded strong sides and won a good percentage of their games.  All players made valuable contributions to the team efforts, but notable performances were put in for the 1st XI by Jim Robertson (68 wickets at 17.4) who worked in perfect tandem with Robert Waters  (65 wickets at 14.8).  For the 2nd XI, wily George Riley baffled the oppostion, taking 47 scalps at 13.4 apiece.

   
Robert Waters

Our batters enjoyed a summer of sunshine and flat wickets with Richard Day amassing 1639 runs at an average of 51.21 and Terry Lambert Jnr making 1143 runs at an average of 43.96.

There were a number of closely fought matches during the season and the following is but a selection of some of the more memorable matches and individual performances - with a few records achieved for good measure.  The season of '89 was particularly noteworthy for the surprising absence of the famous 'Belhus Collapse'.

Century for Terry Lambert Jnr 
The 1st XI match against Old Parkonians on 13th May saw OPs declare at 186 for 5.  This was clearly not enough against our strong batting line-up as Richard Day and Terry Lambert Jnr put on 110 for the second wicket (Terry making 103 and Richard 55 not out) to see us home to a victory by a comfortable 7 wickets.

 
Terry Lambert Jnr

By the Seaside
On 28th May, in what had become an annual trip to Clacton-on-Sea, the 1st XI coasted to an easy win in this all-day game.  Clacton made a generous declaration at 234 for 5 only for the batting stars of the season, Richard Day and Terry Lambert Jnr, to score 83 and 81 respectively to see us home to victory by a comfortable 6 wickets.

100 for Steve Huckstepp
A mixed Belhus XI took on Capricorn CC at Belhus Park on Bank holiday Monday, 29th May.  Steve Huckstepp  (105) and Wayne Read  (71) put on 140 for the third wicket in this 40 over contest, but Capricorn lost their early momentum and finished just 9 runs short of their target with Jim Robertson taking 5 for 27.

Brian and George Excel
In the 2nd XI League match against Britannic Lodge on 3rd June, we were in trouble at 72 for 6.  But Brian Edwards, coming in at No.8, smashed a superb 74 (including 5 sixes) and put on 70 with Jason Caparn for the 9th wicket and the score rocketed from 98 for 8 to 196 all out.  Britannic Lodge had no answer to the trickery of George Riley as they were bowled out for 106 with George returning 7 for 35.

Ton-Up Tony
On 6th June against Essex Taverners, the 2nd XI got off to an exellent start with Tony Lincoln and Cliff Cansdale sharing an opening partnership of exactly 100.  Tony, always a difficult batsman to budge, went on to make 105 and Brian Edwards stroked 70 to take the Belhus total to 282 -  far too many for Essex Taverners who were bowled out for just 114.
 
159 for Richard Waters
Against Little Thurrock at Belhus Park on 8th July, Richard Waters (with a career best 159, including 9 sixes) and Paul Wiltshire (67 not out) shared what is believed to be the record 3rd wicket partnership for the 2nd XI of 238 in 101 minutes to take the Belhus total to an unbeatable 300 for 3.  Little Thurrock must have been mighty relieved when rain stopped play for the day after just 10 overs of their innings.


Richard Waters
Career Best 159

Won by 1 Run
The 2nd XI League match against Old Clarkonians on 17th June produced a fine match.  We could manage only 133 for 6, but skittled out OCs for 132 to win by just 1 run.  Tony Gaylard did the damage with 5 for 26. 

Cliff/Richard Shine
Against Springfield on 19th July, Cliff Cansdale restricted  the opposition to just 116 after finishing his 12 over spell with 5 for 14.  We easily knocked off the runs with in-form Richard Day making 69 not out - an innings that contained 62 in boundaries.


Richard Day (2009)

Historic Double
Saturday 22nd July ranks as one of the most historic days in the club's history - and  most likely for Downshall CC too.  The 1st XI league match was at Seven Kings Park and Downshall must have felt pretty pleased with their score of 264 for 4 after 45 overs.  However, in reply, we paced ourselves to an impressive win with openers Terry Lambert Jnr and Wayne Read respectively making 65 and 57 and Richard Day top-soring with 81 not out.  We calmly reached the target with just 7 balls to spare.

Over at Belhus Park, and presumably winning the toss on a warm and sunny day, the 2nd XI saw   Steve Huckstepp and Tony Lincoln making 58 apiece and Shanti Popat scoring 119 to take the total to a massive 341 for 6 (the club record highest score as at August 2009).  After tea, David Cayless and Jason Caparn tore into the early-order batsmen and both took 3 for 14, leaving Downshall shell-shocked at 19 for 7 before closing their reply at 47 all out - an impressive win by 294 runs (a club record runs win margin). 

The Tide Came In
After their run-feast the previous week, the 2nd XI travelled to sunny Shoeburyness and continued their good form by rattling up 282 for 8 (the season's second score of 282 for the 2nd XI).  Tony Lincoln made 71 and David Cayless 51 not out.  Now story has it that bowlers can make the ball dance around a bit when the tide comes in at Shoeburyness - and sure enough it did just that -  and we bowled them out for 103 - giving us a winning margin of 179.

10 Wickets Win
On 12th August in the league match against Fairlop Oak, the opposition could muster only 132 all out.  Openers Cliff Cansdale and Andy Cayless knocked off the runs with ease to secure victory for us by 10 wickets.

George Again
On 19th August against Old Esthameians, the 2nd XI notched up 192 for 8 thanks to a patient 58 in 2 hours 20 minutes by Tony Lincoln.  Foxing the opposition yet again, George Riley took 7 for 24 to dismiss OEs for 55.

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