Bowlers of the 1960s
............................................................
It is said that 'bowlers win matches' and the Belhus CC records confirm that our bowlers of the 1960s were responsible, by far, for winning more matches than our batsmen. From the prodigious swing of Don Pegler to the controlled speed of Bert Freeman to the accuracy of Bob Prickett, the Belhus bowlers of this decade completely overshadowed the batsmen who could muster but a mere three centuries between them.
Major Patrick Pooler-Williams won a number of matches with his deceptive and accurate seamers, and the club's policy of encouraging younger players started to pay dividends with the emergence of teenagers Vic Davies, John Rowell and off-spinner Terry Rampling. For the 1st XI, Don Pegler took 955 wickets during the decade. For the 2nd XI, Dave Francis enjoyed a successful 1966 season in taking 63 wickets, and Bob Mead took 65 wickets in 1967 and 51 wickets in 1969.
Was this superiority of bowler over batsman due to the 'lively' wickets that were encountered almost every weekend or because batsmen of the time did not enjoy the protection of helmets? Or was it that our batsmen simply weren't as competent as the bowlers of the day?!
We set out below, details of the more impressive bowling performances of the decade (in terms of the actual number of wickets taken in an innings) showing a minimum performance bag of 6 wickets. This is not to denigrate the many other 'occasional' bowlers who played their part in breaking nagging partnerships or snaring important scalps at a vital moment to help to win a match.
First Hat Trick by Graham Cunliffe
On 3rd June 1962 the 2nd XI played Cranham CC at Hall Lane, Upminster. Cranham batted first and were bowled out for 113 as pace bowler Graham Cunliffe took 7 for 43 including the club's first hat-trick. Disappointly, we were unable to chase down the runs and were bowled out for 98 having been 88 for 6 at one stage. Graham's effort was one of only two hat tricks taken in the 1960s - the other by Keith Davis (1969). Unhappily, both Graham and Keith finished on the losing side!
Graham Cunliffe (1962)
First hat trick for the Club
Albert Braybrook's 10 for 18
In browsing through these stats, please spare a thought for dear old Albert Braybrook, who, in 1962, for the 2nd XI in the last match of the season, skittled out Heathcotians CC single-handedly in taking 10 for 18, and he too finished on the losing side. Albert remains the only Belhus bowler to have taken all 10 wickets in an innings (as at 2010).
Don Pegler
The club had some very fine bowlers during the swinging sixties, but pride of place rests with Welshman Don Pegler who averaged 95 wickets per season. A swing bowler who always placed two or three short legs, his best season was in 1966 when he took 134 wickets (although this club record was surpassed by Bob Garner who took an impressive 139 wickets in 1976 - 131 wickets for the 2nd XI and 8 for the 1st XI). Don's seasonal wickets tally during the decade reads:
1960 115
1961 107
1962 99
1963 92
1964 60
1965 110
1966 134
1967 87
1968 52
1969 99
Don Pegler (1966)
(N.B. Don went on to snare 125 wickets in 1970, 132 in 1971 and 44 in 1972).
Those who took 6 or more wickets in an innings during the 1960s were:
1960
8 for 15 Chris Weaving 2nd XI v Fondu CC 15th May
8 for 18 Don Pegler 1st XI v Stork CC 11th June
8 for 19 George Dow 1st XI v Stork CC 30th July
8 for 32 Bob Prickett 1st XI v Chadwell-St-Mary CC 22nd May
8 for 39 Bob Prickett 1st XI v Thames Board Mills CC 21st June
7 for 6 Don Pegler 1st XI v Tilbury CC 10th July
7 for 13 Bob Brooks 2nd XI v Bardswell CC 31st July
7 for 13 Bob Prickett 1st XI v Romford Casuals CC 29th May
7 for 18 Bob Prickett 1st XI v Tilbury Docks CC 15th May
7 for 19 Vic Rampling 1st XI v Frasonians CC 14th May
7 for 32 Don Pegler 1st XI v North Stifford CC 2nd July
7 for 41 Don Pegler 1st XI v Tunnel CC 19th June
6 for 16 Patrick Pooler-Williams 1st XI v Great Burstead CC 26th August
6 for 17 Bob Prickett 1st XI v Fords CC 17th July
6 for 18 Don Pegler 1st XI v Chadwell-St-Mary CC 1st August
6 for 23 Vic Rampling 1st XI v Garys Parish Church CC 28th May
6 for 26 Dick Bignell 2nd XI v Cranham CC 17th September
6 for 49 Bob Prickett 1st XI v Beltonia CC 8th June
1961
10 for 18 Albert Braybrook 2nd XI v Bardswell CC 24th September
8 for 26 Vic Rampling 1st XI v Romford Brewery CC 1st July
7 for 9 Bob Prickett 1st XI v Upminster CC 23rd July
7 for 22 Bob Prickett 1st XI v Drums CC 20th August
7 for 22 D Coates 1st XI v Great Nelmes CC 3rd September
7 for 40 Patrick Pooler-Williams 1st XI v Hillside CC 7th May
6 for 10 Don Pegler 1st XI v Walworth CC 18th June
6 for 12 Don Pegler 1st XI v Tilbury Docks CC 13th May
6 for 13 Graham Cunliffe 2nd XI v Bardswell CC 9th September
6 for 20 Patrick Pooler-Williams 1st XI v Cranham CC 23rd September
6 for 23 Don Pegler 1st XI v LTE (Grays) CC 13th August
6 for 35 Peter Renshaw 1st XI v Ilford & Barking Hospital CC 9th July
6 for 36 Don Pegler 1st XI v Little Thurrock CC 8th July
6 for 37 Peter Renshaw 1st XI v South Essex Waterworks CC 24th June
6 for 39 Graham Cunliffe 2nd XI v Fords CC 11th June
6 for 49 Don Pegler 1st XI v Aveley CC 2nd July
1962
7 for 14 Patrick Pooler-Williams 1st XI v Ilford & Barking Hospital CC 10th June
7 for 31 Don Pegler 1st XI v Cranham CC 15th September
7 for 43 Graham Cunliffe 2nd XI v Cranham CC v 3rd June
7 for 45 Graham Cunliffe 2nd XI v Micanite CC 11th June
6 for 11 Graham Cunliffe 2nd XI v Bardswell CC 19th May
6 for 18 Don Pegler 1st XI v Rainham CC 2nd June
6 for 18 Graham Cunliffe 1st XI v Dagenham Wanderers CC 9th September
6 for 37 Don Pegler 1st XI v Fairfield CC 30th June
6 for 30 Don Pegler 1st XI v Ilford & Barking Hospital CC 20th May
6 for 30 Patrick Pooler-Williams 1st XI v Great Burstead CC 5th August
1963
8 for 23 Don Pegler 1st XI v Old Westhamains CC 25th August
8 for 37 Don Pegler 1st XI v Robbialac CC 3rd June
6 for 37 Patrick Pooler-Williams 1st XI v Great Nelmes CC 18th August
6 for 41 George Dow 1st XI v North Ockendon CC 9th June
6 for 53 Don Pegler 1st XI v West Tilbury CC 21st June
1964
8 for 34 Don Pegler 1st XI v Fairfield CC 9th May
7 for 62 Don Pegler 1st XI v Great Nelmes CC 30th August
6 for 24 Danny Pearce 1st XI v Cranham CC 22nd August
6 for 25 Patrick Pooler-Williams 1st XI v Walworth CC 13th June
1965
8 for 19 Don Pegler 1st XI v Romford Avenues CC 22nd August
8 for 20 Ron Sage 2nd XI v Grays Post Office CC 11th July
7 for 15 Keith Davis 1st XI v Horndon-on-the-Hill CC 3rd July
7 for 30 Don Pegler 1st XI v Cranham CC 19th June
7 for 36 Don Pegler 1st XI v Ashley CC 7th June
7 for 40 Don Pegler 1st XI v Ashton CC 31st July
7 for 45 Dave Francis 2nd XI v North Ockendon CC 14th August
6 for 15 Charlie Veal 2nd XI v Noak Hill CC 9th May
6 for 17 Don Pegler 1st XI v Great Nelmes CC 24th July
6 for 18 Don Pegler 1st XI v Cambridge & Hackney CC 8th August
1966
8 for 41 Don Pegler 1st XI v Pauters CC 21st May
7 for 12 Don Pegler 1st XI v Horndon-on-the-Hill CC 4th June
7 for 22 Don Pegler 1st XI v Great Nelmes CC 22nd May
7 for 27 Don Pegler 1st XI v Tennyson CC 31st July
7 for 34 Keith Davis 2nd XI v Stanton CC 29th August
7 for 49 Don Pegler 1st XI v South Ilford CC 14th May
6 for 15 Vic Davies 2nd XI v Horndon-on-the-Hill CC 1st May
6 for 20 Don Pegler 1st XI v Gasgoine Old Boys CC 11th June
6 for 29 Andrew Walker 2nd XI v Corringham Social Club CC 3rd July
6 for 73 Vic Davies Tour XI v Royal Ulster Constabularly CC 29th July
6 for 29 Vic Davies 1st XI v Becontree CC 7th August
1967
6 for 7 Chris Francis 2nd XI v Elmshawe CC 15th July
6 for 14 Bob Mead 2nd XI v Hilger CC 17th June
6 for 19 John Rowell 1st XI v Forest Lane Sports CC 27th August
6 for 21 Chris Francis 2nd XI v Stratford Wesleyan CC 19th August
6 for 24 John Rowell 1st XI v Gragas CC 8th July
6 for 29 Don Pegler 1st XI v Great Nelmes CC 9th July
6 for 36 Dave Francis 2nd XI v Silco CC 9th July
1968
8 for 19 Bert Freeman 1st XI v St Saviours CC 28th July
7 for 61 Bert Freeman 1st XI v Gasgoine Old Boys CC 13th July
6 for 9 Steve Solari 2nd XI v Tilbury CC 2nd September
6 for 26 Bob Mead 2nd XI v Gragas CC 4th August
6 for 32 Don Pegler 1st XI v Greenspire CC 15th June
1969
9 for 23 Bert Freeman 1st XI v Marshalls CC 25th May
7 for 15 Terry Rampling 1st XI v Stanford-le-Hope CC 10th May
7 for 16 Don Pegler 1st XI v Simba CC 13th July
6 for 15 Don Pegler 1st XI v Cranham CC 28th June
6 for 22 Don Pegler 1st XI v Gasgoine Old Boys CC 12th July