History of Bucks CCC

In 1987 there was the regular schedule of one-day warm-up matches against Oxford University, the OU Harlequins and, this year, Wales CA before the first championship match, against Somerset Second Eleven at Taunton. Here the Bucks cause was frustrated first by the weather then by the batting of Amersham-born Richard Baigent, whose patient innings brought his side first innings points. Little did the Somerset players guess what lay in store for their senior team, who were due to be at High Wycombe three weeks later for the first round of the NatWest Trophy. A damp June had hampered preparations for the match, but sunshine greeted the teams as Somerset won the toss and asked Bucks to bat. In the absence of Atkins, now with Surrey, Harwood opened with Trevor Butler of Wolverton. The pair began solidly but after Butler’s dismissal at 31 the first-class bowlers imposed a tight grip on the game. 89 for 3 at lunch soon became 98 for 6 with the dismissal of Harwood, who had grafted through 47 of the 60 overs to make 47. It took some brave blows from Steve Edwards in the closing overs to enable Bucks to reach 154 for 9. 93 The greatest day: defeat of Somerset Neil Hames Neil Hames and his team celebrate victory over Somerset Andy Harwood