Cricket: Midd’s perfect farewell for Brad Sculley
Published: 12 August, 2010
by STEVE BARNETT
Middlesex County League
NORTH Middlesex gave former captain Brad Sculley the perfect send-off on Saturday when they kept their promotion hopes alive with a seven-wicket win over Harrow Town.
With heavy downpours cutting short matches across the county this Division Two fixture managed to survive until the end, largely thanks to North Midd’s ruthless approach to the game.
Fittingly Sculley, who is going to teach rugby in America before returning back home to Australia, took the first wicket of the day when he dismissed Gihan Herath in the second over.
The sports coach, who teaches at Mossbourne Academy in Hackney, more than played his part in his final outing as he ended up claiming four wickets at the expense of 42 runs.
Spin bowler Darren Eckford just managed to eclipse his team-mate by taking 5-25 as Harrow Town were dismissed for just 79 runs in the 32nd over.
Sculley took full advantage of his final days play at the Park Road ground as he opened the batting alongside Evan Flowers in a partnership that reached 44 runs in seven overs.
The rapid run-rate ended with Flowers being bowled for 22, closely followed by Sculley on 24, who hobbled off the field for the final time in a North Midd cap with an impressive league batting average.
Jaron Semper, 19 not out, and Eckford, one not out, guided the home side towards their winning total of 80 in 14.3 overs for the loss of three wickets.
Afterwards club legend Sculley said: “I will take so many wonderful memories away from North Middlesex CC, it is a great family club.
“I still think the lads have a decent chance of promotion in my absence. I wish them every success.”
Across the county most teams had to settle for a point as the rain ravaged the fixtures list.
In Division Three Highgate were among the teams worst affected as the bowling efforts of Syed Karrar and Tony Duckett went unrewarded. Karrar took six wickets for 49 runs and Duckett claimed 4-64 as opponents Hornsey were bowled out for 196 in the 55th over.
In response, James Warburton and Jake Sharland were well on their way to building a solid partnership with respective scores of 38 and 28 as Highgate quickly climbed to 73-1 before the bad weather hit.