History of Bucks CCC

Rain made a horrid mess of the championship matches but Bucks still managed four victories without a loss to take second place in the divisional table. A highlight of the season was the ‘grade rules’ match against Norfolk at Slough in which Jason Harrison and 18-year-old Paul Sawyer added 322 for the third wicket, the highest Bucks partnership for any wicket. Sawyer fell for 181, just as he was threatening Malcolm Roberts’ record. He still awaits a second century for the county. For Harrison, who made 147 that day, there was much with which to be satisfied in his first season as captain. For those involved in running Bucks cricket it was a surprise and disappointment that he should resign during the winter and throw in his lot with Lincolnshire. Harrison himself was still motivated by unfulfilled ambition. He had found a comfort zone in playing for his home county, and the possibility of a move to Lincolnshire, where he would be taken on as a professional and judged on performance, was a challenge that appealed. With his new county he had the satisfaction of winning the minor counties title. Harrison returned to play for Bucks in 2005. Atkins takes up the challenge Harrison’s successor as captain was Paul Atkins. He had enjoyed several seasons with Surrey without being able to command a regular place in that very strong team. Personal hopes that he might have been allowed to join Somerset were thwarted by Surrey’s need to cover the demands of representative calls on their players. After his first-class days were over there had been several years in which Atkins might have played a few games for Bucks, but he had become disenchanted at seeing how some of those with whom he had played for the Young Amateurs had been treated by the senior team selectors. Now 32, he still had much that he wished to prove in the game and Bucks were to become the beneficiary from one whose birth, education and residence all made the county his undisputed home. As he enters his eighth season in charge in 2006, Paul Atkins has experienced the full roller coaster of experiences and emotions. It all began when he inherited a team that, notwithstanding the loss of one of its premier batsmen, had players of quality on whom he could call. Yet there were disappointing batting performances in the ECB 38 County Trophy in 1999 and a feeling that more might have been achieved in the Championship, where Bucks ended fourth with the most frustrating loss, by two wickets to Norfolk in the penultimate over at Lakenham, coming after undefeated innings of 86 and 138 from Neil Burns and match figures of ten for 153 from Andy Clarke. As so often, there were problems with availability, most conspicuously with James Bovill, now back with Bucks after his first-class career with Hampshire had ended in 1997. Potentially one of the best pace bowlers on the minor counties circuit, he managed to play in only three championship matches. There were signs of promise from several younger players, but the side relied heavily on Burns, Clarke and Scriven. In what he had made clear would be his last season, Tim Scriven turned in splendid all-round figures – 23 wickets at 14.13 and a batting average of 56.33. With 3,574 runs and 265 wickets his all-round contribution to Bucks in 98 matches (legend has it that he played 99!) has been bettered only by Mat Wright and Colin Lever. 107 Atkins takes up the challenge Paul Atkins