By Mike Latham
It was just another game in the Bolton Cricket League in
1985, Egerton v Tonge, Saturday 27 July.
I always like going to Egerton, a compact ground with
stunning views across the West Pennine Moors and packed my trusty Practika camera and monopod.
Located on the left-hand side of the village, on the A666
from Bolton heading towards Darwen and Blackburn, just after the turn off for
Longworth Road that leads towards Belmont, the ground was always well
patronised and an integral part of the local community.
The Bolton League was strong back then, highly competitive with
14 member clubs, dominated that season by Farnworth and Farnworth Social
Circle.
The two rivals took the championship battle to the final
ball, Farnworth’s failure to dislodge the last Greenmount batsmen meaning the
title went to their friends at Piggott Park.
The West Indies pair of Rod Estwick and Vic Sandiford ruled
the roost at Social Circle, two Barabadians with great cricketing talent.
Estwick, a fearsome fast bowler in his pomp, one of the West
Indies coaching staff on their tour of England last year, was the leading
wicket-taker in the league that year, 116 wickets at 12 apiece. Sandiford, a
highly rated all-rounder scored 838 runs at 38, took 79 wickets at 16. Not bad
for an amateur.
Farnworth had Rod Tucker, now an internationally acclaimed
umpire from New South Wales as their professional. 913 runs at 35, 73 wickets
at 13. Tucker brought along with him a fearsome left arm bowler by the name of
Andy Jones. An amateur, 82 wickets at 10.42. Top of the averages.
The Bolton League, you see, was a tough school for aspiring
cricketers, whether from home or overseas. But wining the league was all that
mattered. There were no prizes for second.
Westhoughton had the great Dilip Vegsarkar as professional.
Then rated as the world’s greatest batsman in the newly formed Deloittes World
Rankings. When he had to leave for home early, they recruited West Indies star
Collis King as sub-pro for the last few games. They trailed in third.
Among the also-rans (fourth) were Tonge whose pro Chetan
Sharma was a talented young Indian Test player with a great attitude and obvious
ability.
Though only 19, he had made his Test debut for India the
previous winter, had already tasted league cricket during a spell as overseas amateur with
Morecambe in the Northern League in 1984, alongside his fellow countryman,
Ravi Shastri.
Egerton recruited a young New South Wales all-rounder by the
name of Steve Waugh as professional. ‘Do you mind if I bring along my twin
brother as amateur?’ he asked. ‘Don’t mind if you do,’ the reply.
The brothers played one game together, a pre-season friendly
at Bolton Association side Atherton. Both scored hundreds. After that Steve was
quickly recruited to Essex on a scholarship, Mark taking over as pro. He
brought in a young opening batsman from Western Australia, Mark McPhee, as the
team’s overseas amateur.
Mark McPhee in the runs, Mark Waugh non-striker
Steve went on to make his Test debut for Australia against
India, Boxing Day 1985 at Melbourne. The first of 168 Tests, with 325 ODIs
thrown in, Test average of over 50, including 32 centuries. Mark had to wait
five years for his Test debut, but didn’t do too badly either, 128 Tests,
batting average of 41, 20 centuries, 244 ODIs, batting average 39, 18
centuries.
All that sounds like the league was dominated by players
from overseas. It was, to a certain extent but there was a huge pool of
talented local players, some who’d played the first-class game, others who
aspired to those ranks.
The Bolton League was seen as the place where you could find
how far you could go in the game.
Back to that late July day at Egerton. It had been a
weather-affected summer, no surprise when morning rain delayed the start until
2pm.
Egerton, batting first, had McPhee, an aggressive opener
with a wide range of shots, In typically robust form.
Mark McPhee drives Chetan Sharma through the onside
At the halfway stage of a contest reduced to 48 overs per
side they were well placed at 95 for 2.
Sharma, who had a rhythmic action with a big delivery stride
and a long sweep of his right arm had bowled with sustained hostility and
aggression.
Mark Waugh hits out against Chetan Sharma
For once Waugh, in what was a golden summer for him, missed
out, caught by Sharma at mid-wicket off Nigel Tebay for just 5. A rare loose
shot and failure in a season that brought him 1,359 runs at 54, top of the
league’s batting averages, third highest runs aggregate in league history..
McPhee made 66 out of 95 with nine fours and two sixes,
threatening the cottages behind the wicket at the south end of the ground with
damage. But Sharma’s persistence paid off, caught behind by the young wicketkeeper.
Young wicketkeeper? Looks familiar. Let’s check. That’s
Warren Hegg, future Lancashire stalwart, two Tests for England.
Wicket for Chetan Sharma- N Hurst, ct Rogers, Warren Hegg the wicketkeeper
The last eight Egerton wickets fell for 52 runs, 147 all
out, Sharma 7 for 43 in 22.4 overs. Bowling unchanged. Unless something
untoward happened, the professional always bowled unchanged.
In reply Tonge were struggling at 55 for 4, two wickets to
Waugh, another to Ian Taylor, talented all-rounder who opened the batting and
the bowling.
Egerton bowler Ken Dickinson appeals unsuccessfully for a stumping, Chetan Sharma non-striker
Ian Taylor bowls Tonge’s Mike Rogers
Mark Waugh gets a wicket, Nigel Partington lbw
Sharma, batting at four, played a highly responsible
innings, dealing well with Waugh’s bowling, scoring off the loose balls.
Gradually he helped wrest the initiative his side’s way, completing his
half-century after 105 minutes of careful concentration, scoring the winning
runs in the 43rd over with a fine cover drive for four off Waugh.
Chetan Sharma finished the season with 695 runs at 46, 89 wickets at 11. He's still remembered fondly in Tonge. Not only for his stats but for the way he played the game.
Egerton 147 (McPhee 66, Sharma 7-43), Tonge 149-6 (Sharma
56no, Waugh 3-49)
Tonge won by 4 wickets at 7.34pm.
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