Etherley Cricket Club ran up a Darlington and District League record total of 491 for 5 in their 40 overs against Northallerton 4th Team in Division B, reports Alan Breeze.
The performance, on what is normally a bowler friendly wicket at Etherley, also saw three Etherley CC players get centuries within the statutory 40 overs: Skipper Laan Sugarathan (190 runs), J Lona (139 runs) and Tinu Geetha (170 runs), which has also never been achieved in the long Darlington and District League history since its foundation in 1960.
The team takes its proud place in the league’s Hall of Fame for achieving the largest winning margin of 441 runs, destroying the previous best by Barningham CC of 287 runs.
The hopes of achieving 500 runs in a 40 over game were destroyed by the Northallerton Junior bowler, Charlie Porter, taking an excellent catch to dismiss Laan in the penultimate over.
He then bowled the last over to remove Tinu and an incoming batsman whilst conceding only 6 runs and denying Etherley of their ultimate dream.
This season has seen Etherley CC take advantage of the large contingent of players from the Keralan region of India that they welcomed to the club this season.
This has enabled them to field a second team for the first time in several decades and reignite ambitions to return Etherley CC to the former glory days when they played a significant part in the Durham County League, which is now amalgamated into the Durham and North East Cricket League, winning the league title in 1972.
Currently Etherley CC 1st team lead Division B and the 2nd team are mid table in Division C of the Darlington and District League after just over half the season.
The club itself is grateful for the support of Escomb Junior football club who train on the cricket outfield and adjacent Junior 11-a-side pitch, and for the voluntary staff headed by Dave Coglan who spend untold hours preparing the square and outfield for play.
In addition, the club is grateful for the support of County Councillor Stephen Gray, who has offered to fund an electronic large numerals scoreboard with a smaller repeater scoreboard in the club bar.
Thanks also to for the previous major support of Etherley business O F Bell, with potential support from Thorn Lighting in the pipeline.
Without this support alongside many other factors, Etherley CC would not have been able to re-emerge as a significant local force in cricket.
Etherley CC will always welcome new players and give them opportunities to gain a team place on merit evidenced by the second team starting the season with a talented Keralan 14-year-old and a 78-year-old Yorkshire born opening pair of batsmen, one of whom is destined for a successful future in cricket (no need to guess which one!).
Alan Breeze
Bishop Auckland's local community newspaper.
