D.L.Amiss v C.H.Lloyd
Innovation? It's nothing new.
In 1968 the Bass-Charrington Single-Wicket Competition was arranged at The Oval to pit many of the finest cricketers of the day against each other.
The first-round draw was:
R.T.Simpson v G.R.J.Roope
D.L.Underwood v R.Illingworth
M.E.Norman v B.S.Crump
Saeed Ahmed v N.Gifford
D.L.Amiss v C.H.Lloyd
S.R.Bielby v Majid Khan
D.R.Turner v Intikhab Alam
R.W.Taylor v C.A.Milton
G.S.Sobers v D.J.Semmence
G.S.Chappell v L.B.Irvine
E.R.Dexter v W.E.Russell
R.Scotland v E.W.Freeman
Dennis Amiss's clash with Clive Lloyd was among the more intriguing draws, along with the spin derby between Derek Underwood and Ray Illingworth. One had to feel a tinge of sympathy for Sussex medium-pacer Derek Semmence, drawn away to Gary Sobers at the peak of his powers. Three weeks later Sobers was to sock Malcolm Nash for six sixes in an over at Swansea.
Sadly, the competition, scheduled for August 8 and 9 was completely washed out so we will never know how this intriguing premise would have unfolded.
Sources suggest, however, that when it became clear there was to be no play on Saturday August 9, the first day of the football season, Brighton-based Dexter called the players together and said: "Right chaps, I'll show you some top-drawer sporting prowess - Walsall are at The Goldstone today" and ordered a fleet of taxis to take everyone to the Goldstone Ground to see the Saddlers play Brighton & Hove Albion.
It was a 1-1 draw in which David Wilson scored for Walsall.
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Brian Halford - Brian Halford’s look at Edgbaston.
I think Arthur Milton would have beaten Bob Taylor on the away runs rule.
There are 24 entries in this competition, which seems a strange number. After three rounds there will only be three players left. Do they have to take turns at keeping wicket in the final? Or do the four fastest losers in the first round also progress?
Neil Carter would probably have been good at that. It is not exactly similar, but feels strangely relevant, to note that given his average performances, if Neil Carter played a Twenty20 match against an average-standard county opponent on his own, ie he faced every delivery and he bowled every ball, he would win by 35 runs if he batted first, or by three wickets off the first ball of the 17th over if he fielded first.
On a similar basis, Ant Botha would win by 3 runs, or by three wickets off the fourth ball of the final over.
Rikki Clarke would lose by 23 runs, or if he batted first, would lose by four wickets off the fourth ball of the 18th over.
Tim Groenewald, when he was with the Bears, would have lost by 15 runs, or if he batted first, by four wickets off the third ball of the 19th over.
Our David Turner didn't bowl. He in fact delivered only 17 balls in 16 years one-day cricket for God's County so not sure he how would handle a single-wicket challenge.
Best fielder ever though.
Perhaps he was banking on running Intikhab out.