JDs Stats

Saturday 16/2/19 saw the First XI defending 314, and 17 year old Tom Kelly took five wickets. This prompted the obvious question - is Tom the youngest to ever take a 5-for in the First XI? The answer is NO, there are two younger.

Brett Hardham 16yrs 308 days 3/21 and 5/44 vs Middle Park, 2001/02

Nick Paton 17yrs 80 days 5/36 and 2/23 vs North Caulfield Glenthuntly 1990/91

Tom Kelly 17yrs 332 days 5/32 vs Mentone 2018/19

On the same day, veteran David Hardham also took 5-for in the 3rd XI. Another obvious question: is David the oldest to ever take a 5-for at the club? The answer is YES, but he already owned this record, having now taken five wickets in an innings five times on the last ten seasons. The next oldest is little brother, Leigh, who took a five-for in the 2nds aged 62yrs 319 days. These are the only two players to have taken a 5-for on turf after turning 60.
The following 50+ year olds have taken at least one 5-for on turf at Beena: David Hardham, Leigh Hardham, Gary Burns, Jack McAlister, Norm Harbour, Ian Walker, Simon Goold, Ross Symons, Phil Carter and David Wilkinson

Note: I do not have all birthdates, so there may be others who are missing out here

Another question arose, given that Brad Kruger and Troy Lamb had each scored a century the week before. Is this the first time there has been two centuries and a five-for in the same match. Again, the answer in NO.

Last week I listed the three occurrences of twin centuries in an innings in the 1st XI. Curiously all three of these matches have also seen a 5 wicket haul.

In 1958/59 Don Johnston took 7/39 to go with Wally Driver and David Kivell's hundreds.
Four seasons later when Kivell and Jim McDermott each scored tons, Don McDermott took 5/41.
And of course, in the last two weeks Brad Kruger and Troy Lamb scored hundreds, and Tom Kelly 5/32.

When the query was raised about the youngest to take a 5-for, Troy Lamb modestly suggested that he might be the youngest to score a fifty in the First XI. The answer this this question is YES. Here's the listing of all who have scored a fifty in the First XI before their 18th birthday

Troy Lamb 15yrs 90 days 51* (2nd) vs Avondale Heights, 1998/99

John Mark 16yrs 334 days 63 (2nd) vs North Caulfield Glenhuntly, 1984/85

Jeff Graham 17yrs 264 days 52 vs Flemington-Kensington 1966/67

William Kelly 17yrs 293 days 92 vs Middle Park 2014/15

Xavier Ross 17yrs 296 days 109 vs Parkdale 2017/18

Note: the age is calculated based on the day the match commenced

A late entry to my questions of the week was who has taken the most catches in the 1st XI. This is difficult because it relies on (a) having access to the scorebooks, and (b) having the catchers annotated therein. All I can is list the top four, knowing full well that there are many catches taken in the 50s, 60s and some of the 70s missing.

Leigh Hardham 190

Andrew Wood 115

Brett Hardham 88

Troy Lamb 85

Finally, I was asked whether Brad Kruger's batting average of 185 against Mentone was the highest against any single club. Actually the question was phrased a little more like "surely it is...". The answer to this question is, once again, NO. Here is the list of players with an average of more than 100 against a single opposition club, as calculated from my database

Player Opponent Runs Avge

Brad Kruger Middle Park 389 389.0

Jeff Graham McKinnon 399 199.5

Brad Kruger Mentone 370 185.0

Troy Lamb Bonbeach Tangy 432 144.0

Kapila Jayasuriya Youlden-Parkville 280 140.0

Note my comment "as calculated from my database." Jeff Graham played against McKinnon in 1966/67, in a match for which we have no scorebook. The Annual Report does not show his score, indicating it was less than 30. A score of 29 (dismissed) would drop his average to a mere 142.7 - a duck would make it just 133.0 - still nothing to be sneezed at! Oh, and although Brad's 185.0 is not the highest, his 389.0 surely is.

Saturday 16/2/19 saw the First XI defending 314, and 17 year old Tom Kelly took five wickets. This prompted the obvious question - is Tom the youngest to ever take a 5-for in the First XI? The answer is NO, there are two younger.
Brett Hardham	16yrs 308 days	3/21 and 5/44 vs Middle Park, 2001/02
Nick Paton	17yrs 80 days	5/36 and 2/23 vs North Caulfield Glenthuntly 1990/91
Tom Kelly	17yrs 332 days	5/32 vs Mentone 2018/19

When the query was raised about the youngest to take a 5-for, Troy Lamb modestly suggested that he might be the youngest to score a fifty in the First XI. The answer this this question is YES. Here's the listing of all who have scored a fifty in the First XI before their 18th birthday
Troy Lamb	15yrs 90 days	51* (2nd) vs Avondale Heights, 1998/99
John Mark	16yrs 334 days	63 (2nd) vs North Caulfield Glenhuntly, 1984/85
Jeff Graham	17yrs 264 days	52 vs Flemington-Kensington 1966/67
William Kelly	17yrs 293 days	92 vs Middle Park 2014/15
Xavier Ross	17yrs 296 days	109 vs Parkdale 2017/18
Note: the age is calculated based on the day the match commenced

A late entry to my questions of the week was who has taken the most catches in the 1st XI. This is difficult because it relies on (a) having access to the scorebooks, and (b) having the catchers annotated therein. All I can is list the top four, knowing full well that there are many catches taken in the 50s, 60s and some of the 70s missing.
Leigh Hardham	190
Andrew Wood	115
Brett Hardham	88
Troy Lamb	85

Finally, I was asked whether Brad Kruger's batting average of 185 against Mentone was the highest against any single club. Actually the question was phrased a little more like "surely it is...". The answer to this question is, once again, NO. Here is the list of players with an average of more than 100 against a single opposition club, as calculated from my database
Player	Opponent	Runs	Avge
Brad Kruger	Middle Park	389	389.0
Jeff Graham	McKinnon	399	199.5
Brad Kruger	Mentone	370	185.0
Troy Lamb	Bonbeach Tangy	432	144.0
Kapila Jayasuriya	Youlden-Parkville	280	140.0
Note my comment "as calculated from my database." Jeff Graham played against McKinnon in 1966/67, in a match for which we have no scorebook. The Annual Report does not show his score, indicating it was less than 30. A score of 29 (dismissed) would drop his average to a mere 142.7 - a duck would make it just 133.0 - still nothing to be sneezed at! Oh, and although Brad's 185.0 is not the highest, his 389.0 surely is.