2006 Season Review

The Strollers played 13 games in 2006, winning 9 (the first 9) and losing 4 - The Strollers batted second in all these 4 games and also lost the toss. This is the fewest number of matches played in a season since 9 were played in 1992. 32 different players were used, with 10 taking part in over half the matches. Of the 32 players used, 10 were debutants - Ali, Aslam, Behl, Buckley, Clarke, D'Costa, Khan, Vink, Walters and Woodford. Five fixtures were 'unplayed' for various reasons, one of which was substituted with a Conference Game (LNER).

By winning the opening 9 matches, combined with winning the last 8 matches of the 2005 season, resulted in a run of 17 successive wins - the second best run ever recorded (the most being 24 successive wins set between 1995 and 1996)

The Strollers scored 2,089 runs during the season and conceded 2,153 runs. This is first time more runs have been conceded than scored in a season since 1998. The average number of runs conceded per game (165.62) is the highest ever recoded, beating the 143.35 runs conceded per game in 1999

The Strollers suffered their heaviest ever defeat in losing to Barnes Common by 172 runs (beating the 158 run defeat by Antelopians in 1998) on 10 September. The 289 runs conceded (in 35 overs) in this match was only 3 runs short of the most runs ever conceded in a match (292 against Alderley Edge from 40 overs, in 1999)

The 4 defeats suffered were the most in a season since 1999, when 4 defeats were also sustained

The 9:4 “win ratio” was the lowest in a season since 11:6 in 1998

During the season there was never a 10 th wicket partnership – the first time this has happened since 1985

Awards:

Best Batsman (Aggregate runs) : Mick Matthews, with 290 runs
Best Bowler (Aggregate Wickets) : Jital Patel, with 22 wickets
Players' Player (Most Man of the Match votes) : Ilija Krunic, with 4.5

Club records equalled or beaten during the season:

• 8 th wicket partnership – 69 not out by Ilija Krunic & Paul Lupton v Barnes Common on 24 September, beating the 51 set by Phil Connell and Tim Elliott in 1994
• Nick Clark equalled the club record of 17 half centuries in a career which he now shares with Phil Connell
• John Reidy set a new club record of 49 not outs in a career, beating the old record of 47 held by Phil Connell
• Paul Lupton extended the club's wicket taking record to 223 but is closely followed by Paul Lees with 215
• Paul Lees became the first Stroller to bowl 200 maidens. He has now bowled 202 maidens, followed by Paul Lupton on 197
• Jital Patel took 3 or more wickets in a match 5 times during the season, equalling the club record held jointly by Jim Bird (1980) and Paul Lupton (1995)
• Simon French club record run of taking a wicket in 20 successive matches came to an end
• John Reidy became the first fielder (excluding wicketkeepers) to take 50 catches in a career. He also set a new club record of 121 catches in total
• John Reidy extended the club appearance record to 266 matches