History of Bucks CCC

but, Scriven stresses, “Gary was always interested in trying to bring Bucks cricket forward.” It was a time of transition for the county when Tim Scriven took over as captain in 1994, and there was now an increasing reliance on local players. David Goldsmith had not played again after the 1991 season, Steve Edwards’ already infrequent appearances ended the following summer and Gary Black retired when his term as captain came to an end in 1993. In his first year in charge Scriven could still call on Burrow but, in what was to be his last season, he played only five matches, retiring with 3,446 runs and 195 wickets to his name. The new captain would enjoy the services of Roberts throughout his four years in charge, but the rest of the M25 brigade were now gone. As with many a minor county, Bucks also suffered the loss of leading youngsters to the first-class game, James Bovill, a promising pace bowler, joining Hampshire in 1992 and Jason Harrison signing for Middlesex the following year. Among local players given their chance, Tim Russell had been restored as wicket-keeper – for three summers he missed not a match after playing only once in the previous five years. Bruce Percy played with more frequency when not assailed by knee or back problems, Simon Shearman briefly became a regular as a middle order batsman, Richard Baigent, once with Somerset, returned to the county of his birth and won his cap as an opening batsman, and Graeme Paskins of Marlow, who had captained the Under 25 team, was also given opportunities as a stroke-playing batsman. New opening bowlers, Denzil Owen and Simon Stanway, established themselves. Owen, born in Jamaica, was already a mature bowler when he was persuaded by Steve Lynch to join Beaconsfield. Immediately identified by his characteristic headgear – he seems happy that it should be called a giant tea cosy – he first played for the county in 1993 at the age of 37, making his mark as a bowler of awesome accuracy but no great pace, who was able to nip the ball off the seam in both directions. Stanway, from Tring Park, had first played in 1989. By 1995 he had made just five appearances, but thereafter he soon became a regular. Tall and with the sparest of frames, he has become a watchword for accuracy, maintaining a measure of control for more than a decade when times have been at their hardest. An engaging character and a tactically astute captain, Tim Scriven came to the job as a Bucks boy and the son of one who had played five games for the county in the early 1960s. His greatest success in his first season came in the MCC Trophy, where there were solid wins against Hertfordshire and Berkshire before succumbing in the semi-final to Lincolnshire. After rain spoilt the opening game at Hertford matches in the Championship were characterised by close finishes. Challenging declarations brought a loss with eight balls to spare against Northumberland, followed by a victory with a similar number of balls in hand when Bucks captured the last Cumberland wicket. Staffordshire then prevailed with only three deliveries to spare. In the next match a misfield by Lincolnshire enabled Bucks to level the scores off the last ball. Three more draws and a one wicket loss to Cambridgeshire completed an exhilarating championship season in which Bucks were unfortunate to finish no higher than seventh. The man on strike for the final delivery of the Lincolnshire match at Slough was the newly signed professional Andy Clarke. He had needed to hit a four for victory but 100 Switch to Eastern Division Denzil Owen