[Cricket] The bad old days of Sussex cricket

[Gwylan]

For those moaning about the quality of the team now, I've been looking back at 1974 - where we seemed to lose every game
The team against Worcs at Hastings was something to behold:
Morley
Groome
Barclay
Graves
Mendis
Wisdom
Snow
Mansell
Spencer
Waller
Phillipson

That's a tail that started at 6 with Nicky Wisdom (Norman's son) and of the five recognised batsmen, three were teenagers (absent were Greig, Mike Buss, Griffith, Greenidge and Faber).

Our current team looks like an all-star XI in comparison

 

[jakarta]

Where is Pevsner (O.G.) in that lineup?

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

For those moaning about the quality of the team now, I've been looking back at 1974 - where we seemed to lose every game
The team against Worcs at Hastings was something to behold:
Morley
Groome
Barclay
Graves
Mendis
Wisdom
Snow
Mansell
Spencer
Waller
Phillipson

That's a tail that started at 6 with Nicky Wisdom (Norman's son) and of the five recognised batsmen, three were teenagers (absent were Greig, Mike Buss, Griffith, Greenidge and Faber).

Our current team looks like an all-star XI in comparison

Barclay, Graves and Mendis wasn’t a bad middle order and John Snow no slouch as a bowler. Those ‘bad old days of Sussex cricket’ hold fond memories for me (well, probably mid to late ‘70s rather than ‘74).

 

[Sid in the Sharknado]

I see John Langridge was umpire in that game. At least one Sussex batting great was on the field.

http://static.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/1970S/1974/ENG_LOCAL/CC/SUSSEX_WORCS_CC_13-16JUL1974.html

 

[Cheshire Cat]

For those moaning about the quality of the team now, I've been looking back at 1974 - where we seemed to lose every game
The team against Worcs at Hastings was something to behold:
Morley
Groome
Barclay
Graves
Mendis
Wisdom
Snow
Mansell
Spencer
Waller
Phillipson

That's a tail that started at 6 with Nicky Wisdom (Norman's son) and of the five recognised batsmen, three were teenagers (absent were Greig, Mike Buss, Griffith, Greenidge and Faber).

Our current team looks like an all-star XI in comparison

How many runs didn't we get and what did we lose by? Innings and plenty?

 

[Eeyore]

It's hard to look beyond 1987/88 for me. Bottom in 1987. Not much better when the 4 day match was introduced in 1988

Team for an innings defeat at Ilford in June 1988

RI Alikhan
AM Green
*PWG Parker
AP Wells
CM Wells
Imran Khan
NJ Lenham
+IJ Gould
ACS Pigott
SJS Kimber
AR Clarke

You would have expected better really.

Defeat at Middlesex in August 1987. Clearly missing Imran Khan who would have been with the Pakistani team.

RI Alikhan
AM Green
PWG Parker
AP Wells
CM Wells
P Moores
DA Reeve
*+IJ Gould
ACS Pigott
PAW Heseltine
AM Babington

 

[Sid in the Sharknado]

It's hard to look beyond 1987/88 for me. Bottom in 1987. Not much better when the 4 day match was introduced in 1988

Team for an innings defeat at Ilford in June 1988

RI Alikhan
AM Green
*PWG Parker
AP Wells
CM Wells
Imran Khan
NJ Lenham
+IJ Gould
ACS Pigott
SJS Kimber
AR Clarke

You would have expected better really.

Defeat at Middlesex in August 1987. Clearly missing Imran Khan who would have been with the Pakistani team.

RI Alikhan
AM Green
PWG Parker
AP Wells
CM Wells
P Moores
DA Reeve
*+IJ Gould
ACS Pigott
PAW Heseltine
AM Babington

I see we were about 30 years ahead of the current England set up in including as many wicketkeeper in the team as possible.

 

[el punal]

Where is Pevsner (O.G.) in that lineup?

With Sid and Doris Bonkers somewhere up Neasden way.

 

[Gwylan]

Where is Pevsner (O.G.) in that lineup?

You could say Jerry Groome was the OG specialist - he played 40 FC games with an average of just under 16

Barclay, Graves and Mendis wasn’t a bad middle order and John Snow no slouch as a bowler. Those ‘bad old days of Sussex cricket’ hold fond memories for me (well, probably mid to late ‘70s rather than ‘74).

Barclay and Mendis had decent careers but they were 20 and 19 respectively then (I think that this was Mendis's debut) and couldn't really be expected to carry the team. Graves actually had a decent season that year. Snow was a fine bowler (although not always giving his all for the county) but he was not a number 7

For those interested, we lost by 6 wickets (the first two days were rained off and both teams forfeited their first innings).

EDIT. Yes, it was Mendis's debut

 

[Gwylan]

I see we were about 30 years ahead of the current England set up in including as many wicketkeeper in the team as possible.

The 1974 team I posted went one better - it had three players who played FC games as keepers: Mansell, Morley and Mendis.

 

[knocky1]

It's hard to look beyond 1987/88 for me. Bottom in 1987. Not much better when the 4 day match was introduced in 1988

Team for an innings defeat at Ilford in June 1988

RI Alikhan
AM Green
*PWG Parker
AP Wells
CM Wells
Imran Khan
NJ Lenham
+IJ Gould
ACS Pigott
SJS Kimber
AR Clarke

You would have expected better really.

Defeat at Middlesex in August 1987. Clearly missing Imran Khan who would have been with the Pakistani team.

RI Alikhan
AM Green
PWG Parker
AP Wells
CM Wells
P Moores
DA Reeve
*+IJ Gould
ACS Pigott
PAW Heseltine
AM Babington

Remember my class mate Alan Green smashing a lovely 6 into a Holmes Avenue garden in the mid 70’s.

 

[Neville's Breakfast]

You could say Jerry Groome was the OG specialist - he played 40 FC games with an average of just under 16



Barclay and Mendis had decent careers but they were 20 and 19 respectively then (I think that this was Mendis's debut) and couldn't really be expected to carry the team. Graves actually had a decent season that year. Snow was a fine bowler (although not always giving his all for the county) but he was not a number 7

For those interested, we lost by 6 wickets (the first two days were rained off and both teams forfeited their first innings).

EDIT. Yes, it was Mendis's debut

I am slightly biased when it comes to Gehan Mendis. He regularly coached a group of us in the Arthur Gilligan nets (would have been 3 or 4 years later). He was a lovely bloke as well as being a very good coach. At a County Championship game me and a mate were walking around the ground and he recognized us and came over for a chat. Made our day.

 

[jakarta]

With Sid and Doris Bonkers somewhere up Neasden way.

Did we have an Ashen Faced Supremo watching the proceedings?

 

[Gwylan]

Remember my class mate Alan Green smashing a lovely 6 into a Holmes Avenue garden in the mid 70’s.

You must have been a class mate of my sister too - she was at BHASVIC with Alan Green

I am slightly biased when it comes to Gehan Mendis. He regularly coached a group of us in the Arthur Gilligan nets (would have been 3 or 4 years later). He was a lovely bloke as well as being a very good coach. At a County Championship game me and a mate were walking around the ground and he recognized us and came over for a chat. Made our day.

He was a good cricketer, really unlucky not to play for England. He moved to Lancs to have more of a chance but, by then, he was in his 30s.

We could probably name a team of good cricketers who'd have won caps if they'd played for more fashionable counties. Langridge and Mendis for sure. Two Coxes, Lewry, Colin Wells, possibly RMJ. It's not a county for ambitious players

 

[Sussexscots]

It's hard to look beyond 1987/88 for me. Bottom in 1987. Not much better when the 4 day match was introduced in 1988

Team for an innings defeat at Ilford in June 1988

RI Alikhan
AM Green
*PWG Parker
AP Wells
CM Wells
Imran Khan
NJ Lenham
+IJ Gould
ACS Pigott
SJS Kimber
AR Clarke

You would have expected better really.

Defeat at Middlesex in August 1987. Clearly missing Imran Khan who would have been with the Pakistani team.

RI Alikhan
AM Green
PWG Parker
AP Wells
CM Wells
P Moores
DA Reeve
*+IJ Gould
ACS Pigott
PAW Heseltine
AM Babington

Bowling went to crap after winning the Natwest in 86.

We lost Adrian Jones to Somerset and Garth Le Roux (I think) at the end of that year. Reeve left for Warwickshire the following year and Imran's heart wasn't really in it when he came back in 88. Think he mainly played one day cricket that year.

Sadly, we had much further to fall before the glorious renaissance - but it was worth the wait!

 

[knocky1]

[MENTION=25]Gwylan[/MENTION] afraid not with your sister. Was at Hove Grammar. Don’t remember him being in our VIth Form so may have gone to BHASVIC then.

I wouldn’t bet my life on any of my memories.....

 

[Mackenzie]

John Spencer might not have been an exceptional cricketer, but he was a really good geography teacher

 

[East Staffs Gull]

[MENTION=25]Gwylan[/MENTION] afraid not with your sister. Was at Hove Grammar. Don’t remember him being in our VIth Form so may have gone to BHASVIC then.

I wouldn’t bet my life on any of my memories.....

He spent his sixth forms at BHASVIC. I think that he moved there from Knoll or the Nevill.

 

[Seagull58]

You must have been a class mate of my sister too - she was at BHASVIC with Alan Green




He was a good cricketer, really unlucky not to play for England. He moved to Lancs to have more of a chance but, by then, he was in his 30s.

We could probably name a team of good cricketers who'd have won caps if they'd played for more fashionable counties. Langridge and Mendis for sure. Two Coxes, Lewry, Colin Wells, possibly RMJ. It's not a county for ambitious players

He moved to Lancashire because of Barclay's disgusting declaration when Gehan was on 98 not out and had made 5 centuries in his previous 6 innings, equaling the record. He should definitely have played for England. Yes, I'm biased because I was a first year at BH&S Grammar when he was a sixth former but his record as an opener deserved selection.

 

[Eeyore]

I am slightly biased when it comes to Gehan Mendis. He regularly coached a group of us in the Arthur Gilligan nets (would have been 3 or 4 years later). He was a lovely bloke as well as being a very good coach. At a County Championship game me and a mate were walking around the ground and he recognized us and came over for a chat. Made our day.

Oi ! WE were his favourites, not you !

I was with a mate at Ilford in 1983 and he agreed to our request and came over to join in with us playing cricket against a tree on the far end of the ground.

We bought him a pack of cigars as an end of season present the year before !