DORSET 50s
Back (from left): Trevor Crawford (scorer), Barry Robbins, Buddy Langford, Tony Wharton, Jerry Knott (Secretary), Roger Bosher, Brian Sexton, Merrick Wilkinson, Umpire. Front: Rod Hansford, Mike Geller, John Swatridge, Keith Balmer, Mike Francis.
Comparisons were made with West Indian great Brian Lara after Bournemouth left-hander (and Darlington Town die hard) Keith Balmer stuck a glorious century to sweep Dorset to an ten-wicket win over their Cornish counterparts in the 1999 50-plus County Championship at Luckett, near Callington.
Balmer, with an unbeaten 100, and Merrick Wilkinson, with 88 not out, made light of Cornwall's 193 all out. Several members of the Dorset team neither got a bat nor a bowl after the long trek to the south-west peninsular but, according to the Dorset captain of the day, were more than content to hand over their six quid match fee, pay their own petrol money and buy a few beers for the privilege of watching Balmer in full cry.
[Sadly, Balmer's hopes of a trip to the 2021 FA Trophy final at Wembley were dashed when his Darlington heroes lost 2-1 at home to Hornchurch yesterday]
Back (from left): Trevor Crawford (scorer), Barry Robbins, Buddy Langford, Tony Wharton, Jerry Knott (Secretary), Roger Bosher, Brian Sexton, Merrick Wilkinson, Umpire. Front: Rod Hansford, Mike Geller, John Swatridge, Keith Balmer, Mike Francis.
Comparisons were made with West Indian great Brian Lara after Bournemouth left-hander (and Darlington Town die hard) Keith Balmer stuck a glorious century to sweep Dorset to an ten-wicket win over their Cornish counterparts in the 1999 50-plus County Championship at Luckett, near Callington.
Balmer, with an unbeaten 100, and Merrick Wilkinson, with 88 not out, made light of Cornwall's 193 all out. Several members of the Dorset team neither got a bat nor a bowl after the long trek to the south-west peninsular but, according to the Dorset captain of the day, were more than content to hand over their six quid match fee, pay their own petrol money and buy a few beers for the privilege of watching Balmer in full cry.
[Sadly, Balmer's hopes of a trip to the 2021 FA Trophy final at Wembley were dashed when his Darlington heroes lost 2-1 at home to Hornchurch yesterday]
