Mick Matthews at 40

Mick Matthews - 'Mikahito', 'Mick the Munch', or Mike - call him what you will, Mick has made a big impression on The Strollers over the years. One commentator previously described him as 'Rip van Winkle', referring to his tendency to take 40 winks when Shoaib Akhtar is bowling for the opposition. Transferred in from London North in the mid-90s where he'd learnt his trade, and the banter, MM slotted in nicely as a player who could do most things. Not satisfied with taking bowling awards he has now taking up the position behind the stumps, where he can run and comment on the game. When given the chance, he has shown that he can captain the team effectively. He plays competitively but always with a little humour.Topics not to discuss with him include - his plumbing or any other DIY project, Nick Reeve's coffin or Brentford's away form.He made his debut on 9 July 1995 against Cambridge HA at Hardwick. On that occaion he scored 8 runs and did not bowl. It was his only game in that momentous summer for the Club. Since then he has played in 95 games, the 9th highest appearance maker.

Batting
As a batsman he has batted in 83 innings (7th highest ever) and scored 1,924 runs (5th in the run scoring list behind Connell 4,166, Clark 3,022, Lawton-Smith 2,480 and McGirr 2,212). He has been not out 19 times and became one of 14 players to score a century for Strollers when he hit match winning 106 not out against John Lewis on 29 August 1999. In addition he has hit 8 half centuries - only 4 players have hit more. His average is a highly respectable 30.06, making him 9th on the list of players who have batted 10 innings. He has hit 13 6s in his career and 235 4s (only 3 people have hit more 4s).

Bowling
Mick has delivered 2,394 balls in the 399.0 overs he has bowled for Strollers (only 5 players have bowled more). His 67 maidens are the 5th highest. He has conceded 1,199 runs and taken 91 wickets - the joint 6th highest. Of the 91 wickets obtained, 10 have been LBWs (club record is 11 by Jim Bird) which indicates he bowls straight or he shouts loudly! Of the other wickets taken, 51 have been bowled and 30 caught (both the 6th highest). He has a bowling average of 13.18 (the 9th highest of those who have taken 15 wickets) with a runs per ball rate of 0.50 (the 7th highest) and a strike rate of 26.31 balls.He has taken 5 wickets in an innings on two occasions - 5 for 10 against Ealonians on 12 May 1996 and 5 for 26 against University College Old Boys on 3 September 2000. This latter feat involved all 5 wickets being bowled (as opposed to caught or LBW) - only the 6th time a bowler has achieved this feat. The record that he should be most proud of is that he is the only player to take a "hat trick", which was in that Ealonians match on 12 May 1996.

Fielding
Mick has taken 40 catches (the third most overall behind Connell on 110 & Reidy on 93). Of these 23 were as a wicket-keeper (4th in the list) in 29 games and 17 as a fielder (9th in the list) in 66 games. Whilst behind the stumps he has 7 stumpings to his name (the 4th best). Mick has been responsible for 5 dismissals in a match on 2 occasions (4 catches & 1 stumping and 3 catches & 2 stumpings) - no one else has taken more than 4. His 4 catches in a match against Sunderland on 18 June 2000 is a record he holds jointly with Phil Connell.

All rounder
From the above it can be seen that Mick is a genuine all rounder. He is one of 4 players to score 900 runs and take 90 wickets (Clark, Lees & McGirr being the others) in a career and before he donned the wicket-keeping gloves in 2001 he took 10 wickets and scored 100 runs in every season he played since his debut (obviously not in 1995 since he only played one game). He won the Best Batsman award in 1997 and the Best Bowler award in 1997 and 1998. He is one of only two players (the other being Nick Clark) to have won both awards and is the only player to win both awards in the same year.Life has just begun for Mick Matthews and the Club expects more service from him in the future, despite the fact he can point to 13 dislocated fingers and toes at any one time.