Netherfield stalwart's achievement confirmed
Marc
Hadwin prepares to bowl one more
over |
Netherfield stalwart Marc Hadwin completed a
notable milestone during the 2010 season and one that, until
now, went virtually unnoticed.
The 37-year-old leg-spinner joined the elite
ranks of bowlers who have taken 500 Division One Northern
League wickets when he dismissed David Heywood, caught by
Shane Dixon during Netherfield's game at Lancaster on 4th
September.
John Kettlestring, the webmaster for the
League's archive website, maintains detailed season-by-season
records of the top players and it was only when he updated his
records at the end of the campaign that Hadwin's achievement
came to light.
Hadwin's full record in Northern League cricket
can be found here:
http://www.northerncricketleague.org/hadwin.html
After making his Netherfield debut in the Second
XI in 1988 Hadwin made his first-team bow in 1990 and has been
a virtual fixture in the XI ever since.
Mr Kettlestring's
records show he has bowled 3,055.3 overs over the past 21
seasons and taken 500 league wickets at an average of
19.50.
He has taken five wickets in an innings on 14
occasions with a best bowling performance of nine for 44
against Lancaster in 1999.
Hadwin also took a hat-trick against local
rivals Kendal in 2007.
His most prolific season was in 2004
when he collected 45 wickets and he also took 41 in 1999.
Hadwin also represented Cumberland in the Minor Counties
Championship on six occasions between 1998 and 2004.
In second team cricket he has taken a further
117 wickets at an average of 17.23.
Commenting on his achievement Hadwin said: "I
was aware before the start of the season that I was getting
close to 500 but didn't really give the matter much thought
during the season. "It was fitting perhaps that my 500th
wicket was David Heywood as we have played against each other
many times in the past two decades. It was a good one to take
because David has been one of the top batsmen in the league
and his wicket is always a valuable one to take.
"It's a nice feeling to have reached the
milestone and one I'm proud of but I've no intention of
retiring and hope to carry on playing for Netherfield for as
long as I can. I couldn't have reached the mark without the
help of my team-mates and I'm very fortunate to have played
alongside so many fine players during my time at
Netherfield.
"I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at the club
and playing in the Northern League. Over the years the
standard of pitches at Parkside Road has been first-class and
as a bowler you have to learn to bowl as accurately as
possible or else you can come in for some severe
punishment."
Marc
Hadwin purveys some more leg spin at Parkside
Road |
Parry and Dixon at the helm in 2011
Chris
Parry will lead Netherfield in
2011 |
The 2010 season was a bitter-sweet one for
Hadwin who stepped down from the captaincy shortly after
leading the side to victory in the Latham Baxendale Twenty20
Cup on Finals Day at Preston CC.
Chris Parry resumes the first-team captaincy in
2011 with Shane Dixon taking over as Second XI skipper.
Netherfield have still to finalise their
professional for the forthcoming season and have hit by a blow
in the bowling department with seam bowler Ryan Wilson
suffering a shoulder injury during the winter that may force
him to retire from the game. With Scott Clement continuing his
professional engagement with Appleby Eden in the North
Lancashire & Cumbria League for a second season the
Netherfield side has lost several familiar faces over the past
few seasons.
Craig Walmsley has also stepped down from
Northern League cricket after scoring 5,716 league runs at an
average of 27.09. The popular Walmsley, who made his
first-team debut in 1991 hit six first team hundreds.
His record can be found here:
http://www.northerncricketleague.org/walmsley.html
Walmsley hit a magnificent 171 against Fleetwood
in 2005 even outplaying club professional Pierre De Bruyn who
played a supporting role in also making a century that
day.
The scorecard can be found here:
http://npcl.play-cricket.com/website/results/610505
Craig
Walmsley celebrates his hundred at Blackpool in 2009
with then Netherfield pro Glen
Batticciotto |
Meanwhile former Netherfield professional Callum
Ferguson has won an IPL contract with Sahara Pune Warriors.
The talented Australian broke the league batting record with
1,381 runs during Netherfield's 2008 championship-winning
season and went on to represent Australia in one day
cricket.