History of Bucks CCC

This was the first summer in which Bucks had had to compete without Alf Hughes. One who might have filled the gap was Reg Dare, who had played 109 matches as a left-arm spinner for Hampshire and who was now employed as groundsman at Ernest Turner’s in the Totteridge area of Wycombe, where he earned a reputation for producing some of the best pitches in the county. From 1965 the ground would be used to stage county matches and for a few years Turner’s made an immense contribution to Bucks cricket. Cricket-mad Norman Turner, who ran the company, was a vice-president of Bucks and his firm soon became a much favoured employer for those who sought days off to play for the county. Between 1958 and 1963 the popular Dare played 20 matches for Bucks, though without any startling achievements. The Stoddart years In 1959 Peter Stoddart was elected captain, a position he retained for seven years. He was in splendid personal form with over 600 runs, and after six matches his teamwere still undefeated, but availability problems made for a difficult end to his first season when the last four fixtures produced three losses and a single victory. The one win came on the Morris Motors ground in bizarre circumstances as Bucks sought the last Oxfordshire wicket. The final over was in the hands of Brian Taylor from Amersham. Bowling what should have been the last ball, he overstepped the crease. His indiscretion earned him another delivery, with which he claimed an lbw decision. In one of the hottest summers of the century batsmen flourished across the country while bowlers struggled. There were six centuries for Bucks, four of them from the established players Stoddart, Atkins, Butler and Reynolds, while two others to take their opportunity were hard-hitting Michael Hardy, remembered as the captain of the Territorial Army Eleven, and Lionel Hitchings, a left-hand bat and fine stroke player from Tring Park, both of whom played a full season. The retirement of Alf Hughes from minor counties cricket created more openings for Reg Plested. His left-arm spinners had been a feature of Chesham cricket since 1946, and he would continue landing it on the spot for the club and bemusing batsmen with his flight until 1977. In 1959, his 220 overs, in seven matches, were the most sent down by any Bucks bowler. Another to be given his chance was Ernie Clifford from Burnham, who distinguished himself by bowling 14 consecutive maidens against Suffolk at Chesham. Clifford sometimes made useful runs and he combined with Plested against Norfolk at Slough to post a record eighth-wicket stand of 111, which has still to be surpassed. For the 1960 season Bucks engaged the former Hampshire opening bowler Vic Cannings, who had become cricket coach at Eton. An immensely popular figure, always happy to offer advice, he played in all ten matches, his accurate 67 The Stoddart years Peter Stoddart Reg Dare Vic Cannings