History of Bucks CCC

Later in the season Turner played in what was to be his only first-class match, for the Minor Counties against the touring Pakistanis, marking the occasion with a fine 106 in the second innings. In John Slack’s view Turner was a superb judge of when to leave the moving ball as an opener. “He had a simple approach to batting,” says David Mackintosh. “If it was on the wicket he played straight and defended it. If it was off the wicket he thrashed it, and he was such a big chap that he could score his runs very quickly.” Turner was also a marvellous close fielder on the leg side, his 197 catches an eloquent tribute to his ability and courage. Wicket-keepers apart, no other Bucks player has yet taken 100 catches. And those who played with him emphasise that, as a left-arm thrower, Turner posed an additional threat to batsmen with his shies at the stumps after intercepting a firmly played shot. Hutchison, Hooker and Jones all hit hundreds in 1974, and Turner had six scores over fifty. Hutchison topped the bowling averages with 47 wickets, and Ray Bond recorded a career best for the county with eight for 34 against Berkshire. It was a measure of the Bucks’ strength at this time that Turner, Hutchison and Bond, together with Keith Edwards, should all have been chosen to represent the Minor Counties South in the Benson and Hedges Cup this year. Yet only by winning three of the last four championship matches was the last minor county place in the 1975 Gillette Cup secured. One of the best matches of the season was against Oxfordshire at Chesham, where Kevin Beaumont, now the county secretary, was standing as umpire in one of his first minor counties matches. He recalls arriving at the ground on the second day to find that the slight slope on the square had rendered the covers totally ineffective against heavy overnight rain. Knowing that only a change of pitch could save the match, he rang the TCCB to establish that no match regulations prevented the umpires from offering the two captains the chance to resume on a new pitch. After some deliberation at Lord’s, the message came through that this would be in order and a fresh strip was cut. Set 159 in two hours and 20 minutes, Bucks reached the last over still needing 15. Lever hit the first two balls for four but fell to the third to give the visitors victory by six runs. Bucks’ third visit to Lord’s witnessed another challenging total fromMiddlesex, Mike Brearley top scoring with 124 in their 268. Bucks’ reply owed much to 73 not out from Stuart York, the present chairman of the club, who was establishing himself in the side around this time. He and Brian Poll added 56 undefeated for the eighth wicket, at the 81 Gillette Cup excitement: Chris Parry & David Mackintosh John Turner batting at Canterbury