First-Class Counties Second Eleven Annual 2009

REVIEW OF THE SEASON The 2008 Second Eleven Championship was won for the first time by Durham, leaving only Derbyshire (of the first-class counties) not to have won the title in the 50 years of the competition. Durham’s win, of course, mirrored their victory in the full County Championship, so capping a tremendous year for the club. They were undefeated, and managed eight victories (including five by an innings) from the eleven games that they started. Once again a few more games were arranged than in the previous season, but sadly of the 120 games, seventeen were abandoned without a ball being bowled. Durham were worst hit with four abandonments, and Kent were left with only five games being started. Fourteen of the games were due to be of four days duration, and 55 reached a definite conclusion. Eight of Durham’s batsmen averaged more than 40.00, and four bowlers took more than 20 wickets. In addition Lee Goddard achieved 39 victims, the best of the season. The Les Hatton Second Eleven Player of the Year was Gordon Muchall, who played in all eleven of Durham’s games, being the Championship’s leading scorer with 930 runs (including five centuries) and also being the leading fielder with 18 catches. Hampshire too remained unbeaten, but with only two wins in nine games, could finish only fifteenth. The biggest improvement was by Worcestershire who rose from eighteenth in 2007 to fourth. 697 players took part in the Championship or Trophy, of which 46 represented more than one team. The highest team score for the second season running was by Somerset, who scored 552-8d against Surrey at Taunton Vale. MCCYC achieved their record score by compiling 506-7d against Glamorgan at Radlett. This game produced 1,434 runs, five separate centuries were scored, and victory went to MCCYC by four runs. Leicestershire’s batting was somewhat fragile, being dismissed for less than 107 on four occasions, with a seasons lowest of 49 against Yorkshire at Leicester. Top of the batting averages and maker of the highest score was Richard Grant of Glamorgan. He hit 222 against Gloucestershire at Abergavenny. Leading wicket-taker was Steven Cheetham of Lancashire, with 38 wickets, closely followed by the 36 wickets of David Burton of Middlesex and Wayne White of Derbyshire. The best match bowling figures were by Christopher Whelan for Worcestershire against Warwickshire at Moseley, with six wickets in each innings giving him 12-101. The best innings bowling figures were 7-34 by Jack Shantry, also of Worcestershire. The Second Eleven Trophy was won for the second time by Hampshire, their previous success being in 2003. In the final they beat Essex by seven runs at Chelmsford. Hampshire controlled the game most of the day, until a 10th wicket partnership of 63 between Adam Wheater and Jahid Ahmed brought Essex some hope. The semi-finals brought comfortable wins against Glamorgan and Leicestershire respectively. In Essex’s win against the latter, Varun Chopra scored 3