The Rainham Mid Kent League Championship Team of 2000
The 1990s became the most successful period in terms of winning trophies for Rainham Cricket Club and this was elevated to a new high with the winning of the Mid Kent League Championship in the year of the millennium which gave the team automatic entry into the new Kent League structure.
The team of 2000 was characterized by the inclusion of a large number of very young players mixed with several experienced old hands and this proved ideal as Rainham pursued the title neck and neck with New Ash Green right up to the final league match of the season.
Jim Austin and Matt Goodwin had taken the first team by storm in 1999 as a new teenage opening pair and had experienced great success with the Colts. This continued in 2000 as the young pair began to establish a new first XI opening partnership. Jim Austin, a short and stocky player with a very correct style and lots of ability also performed as a very useful wicket keeper and with the retirement of Dave Wood was expected to take over the job but in 2000 he was chosen as a specialist batsman. His opening partner Matt Goodwin performed as an extraordinary agile fielder, a powerful thrower of the ball and could be very volatile in the field. He was capable of taking sides apart with his aggressive but very correct style. His 142 against Sherwood and his 133 against Offham in the league were typical and awesome displays.
First XI captain Glen Cook batted first wicket down and had a very successful season in 2000 with several good innings. His most memorable took place against Sevenoaks Vine when in partnership with Adeel Hussein he scored 68 in a partnership of 152 in only seventeen overs. He captained the side impeccably and made many useful bowling and fielding contributions. His only moment of visible despair took place at Paddock Wood on an appalling wicket on which Rainham were bowled out for 45. After being struck on different parts of the body and beaten with a shooter in consecutive deliveries he threw his bat on the ground in frustration and disgust before continuing his innings.
Apart from Kevin Waters and Stuart Chipperfield, both steady correct batsmen who reliably contributed runs, Rainham had a couple of very aggressive middle order batsmen. The first of these was teenager Adeel Hussein, another product of the colts who had also played for Kent Colts and he developed into a devastating all rounder during the 2000 season. He also had many sides in trouble with both his batting and bowling. A left handed batsman, he hit hard and straight and played several important innings in the league campaign. His 77 in 17 overs against Sevenoaks Vine was his most memorable and devastating league performance and he finished the league season with a batting average of 34.4. He later moved on to Gore Court.
The powerful Nick Plumridge was always capable of taking sides apart with his aggressive style of batting. A product of the colts, he had also turned out for Kent Second XI. He played several important innings for Rainham but earlier batsmen generally dominated the batting before he got to the crease. He played several important innings with his best being 98 not out against High Halstow. His bowling also played an important part in securing the championship and as a fast medium opening bowler he caused problems for many teams. His only real problem was in bowling too many no balls which totalled more than 20 in the match at Paddock Wood.
Nick Plumridge was partnered in the opening bowling attack by Adeel Hussein who bowled with genuine pace and could move the ball. He occasionally bowled a bit short but generally maintained line and length. Few opposing teams dealt easily with the two opening Rainham bowlers.
A new bowler who became ever present for the one season was medium pace bowler John Sutton. Having moved to the area from Oxfordshire, the quiet computer operator joined Rainham and played a vital part taking wickets with his medium pace seamers. He left the club and joined Upchurch after little more than one season.
Another regular seam bowler who played in most matches was the balding Paul Newton, nicknamed ‘Peanut’ or ‘Slap head’. He tied down many batsmen with his awkward behind the back deliveries. He could also add vital runs at the end of an innings like at Tonbridge when his determination under pressure secured Rainham a one wicket victory in a vital game that they had to win.
Long serving wicket keeper Dave Wood performed reliably behind the stumps in every league match in what was to become his final full season with the club as a player. One of his characteristics was to stand up to the medium pace bowlers for stumping possibilities. Although a competent and useful batsman he rarely reached the crease during the 2000 season.
John Mitchell turned out for most of the season as a fielder because the early batting proved so strong that he rarely had the chance to perform. As a successful batsman of the 1990s it was rather disappointing but he played his part in the team and as a leading committee man was happy to see his club get admission into the Kent League structure.
Overall, the Rainham team of 2000 comprised of some exceptional players and this led to many of the league matches becoming one sided affairs although New Ash Green made them fight for the title until the final match of the season. Ultimately, the younger players proved to be a great success and cleared the honours at the league presentation. The season proved to be another turning point for the First XI who progressed to within one point of Kent League Division One in 2003 after several more seasons of great success.
