Durham County cricket club achieved their much anticipated first class status in 1992. Their new ground at Chester-le-Street's Riverside was not ready for two more years, so they had an itinerant existence during that first season travelling around the county from Durham University to Stockton-on-Tees, Darlington, Hartlepool, Chester-le-Street (Ropery Lane) and Gateshead Fell.
Fortunately for me, after the initial shock, I was made redundant on the 1st January that year and was thus able to follow them round the county in addition to my normal pursuit of following Yorkshire. Durham had previously played in the Minor Counties competition with a side made up of local league players. However, for this new venture they had recruited from far and wide to find an experienced base of former county players.
Most of the squad for 1992 appear in this picture, which was taken at Lord's, although there are one or two faces missing such as Phil Bainbridge who came from Gloucester and local lads, batsman Jimmy Daley and reserve wicket keeper Andy Fothergill.
Starting on the left of the back row we have the lady physio with Steve McEwan next to her. McEwan was a pace bowler who had spent six seasons at his home county of Worcester and was good enough to have obtained his county cap. However he spent only one season at Durham, as he was unable to impress at first team level.
Next is one of the local teenagers, of whom there were great hopes, Paul Henderson. He had played in the Minor Counties at the age of 17 but he played only a handful of first team games before leaving by the age of 20. Fourth from the left is John Glendenen, an opening bat who had played a few times for Yorkshire seconds. He too only stayed for two seasons, but played quite a few good innings including both a first class and a one day century. He later played Minor Counties for Cumberland.
Fifth from the left is left arm seam bowler Simon Brown, who came back home to Durham after four years at Northamptonshire, He became very much the mainstay of the county's bowling attack during their first few years of county cricket and was good enough to make one appearance for England in 1996. He took over 500 wickets in all for the county before retiring in 2002 after a few injuries, possibly caused by over bowling.
Next to Brown is another opening batsman Stewart Hutton who stayed around until 1998. He was a dependable left hander and played in sixty six first class games scoring over three thousand runs, with a highest score of 172 not out. He still shares the first wicket partnership record of 334 with Mike Roseberry against Oxford University in 1996.
Phil Berry was an off break bowler who spent four seasons with his native Yorkshire. He spent three years at Durham without ever really becoming a regular, although he did have one famous performance to remember against Middlesex at Lord's in that first season. After taking career best figures of 7-113
including the wickets of Mike Gatting and Desmond Haynes, he top scored with 76.
The last player on the back row is Mark Briers who came from Minor Counties with Bedfordshire. Again very much a fringe player for two seasons he became an outstanding cricket and racquets coach at Cheltenham College. He also played for Cornwall and Herefordshire in the Minor Counties.
End of the line is long serving scorer Brian Hunt, who scored for over 40 years before retiring.
On the front row we have wicket keeper Chris Scott, who came to Durham after ten years as understudy to Bruce French at Notts. He stayed for five seasons before becoming a much respected coach at Cambridge University. Next to him is Simon Hughes who came for two seasons after a long career with Middlesex. He became a cricket writer and media pundit.
The unmistakable figure of Ian Botham, who saw out the last of his phenomenal career with Durham. He started with thirteen years at Somerset, followed by five years at Worcester as well as a remarkable twelve years with England. Until recently was a Sky Sports summariser. He is now the Durham club President.
David Graveney, slow left arm bowler from Gloucestershire, was captain of Durham for the first two seasons. Was for a time chairman of England's selectors. He is the son of Ken Graveney, formerly with Gloucester and nephew of Tom Graveney, Gloucester, Worcester and England.
Paul Parker had played with distinction for Cambridge University and Sussex, where he was captain for four seasons. A fine batsman and outstanding cover fielder he too was nearing the end of his career when he came to Durham for two seasons. Another one cap wonder for England in 1981.
Dean Jones, the Australian Test batsman had a wonderful career record before coming to Durham, where he did well in his one season. Often a controversial character he returned to England to spend two seasons with Derbyshire in 1996-7.
Finally at the end of the front row is yet another veteran, a real character in Wayne 'Ned' Larkins. He came to Durham after a long, successful career with Northants. When in form he always scored his runs quickly and with a smile on his face.
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