Strictly Me by Mark Ramprakash

Author:Mark Ramprakash [Mark Ramprakash]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Mainstream Publishing
Published: 2011-03-14T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 8

MIDDLESEX DIVORCE

‘The harsh realities of modern county cricket finally caught up with Middlesex after difficulties on and off the field in 2000. It was a sorry enough time when the end of August brought the unexpected departure of two icons, Mike Gatting and Ian Gould. But the loss of Mark Ramprakash in the New Year, to join traditional rivals Surrey, cut much deeper’

– Wisden Cricketers’ Almanack, 2001

Finishing fourth in the County Championship in 1994, and then second in 1995, would have represented two very fine years for most counties. For Middlesex, however, so used to regular success, with fourteen trophies in the previous two decades, it was something of a disappointment.

One-day form was generally poor and at best only patchy, and by the end of 1995 there was very much a sense that a great era was coming to a close. Desmond Haynes played his last season for the club in 1994 and although he did not score a mountain of runs that summer his influence both on and off the field was still huge. His was a very big hole to fill.

Dion Nash, the New Zealand all-rounder, was the new overseas player in 1995 and, with 51 wickets and only 351 runs, he more often than not flattered to deceive. By 1995, we had also lost Micky Roseberry, who took up the captaincy of his native Durham, and Neil Williams, who moved to Essex.

Richard Johnson was an extremely promising young seamer, with 36 Championship wickets in both seasons at a cost of 26 and 16 runs apiece, respectively, but he also struggled to stay fit. Angus Fraser and Phil Tufnell were both still international-class acts, while Mark Feltham and Paul Weekes chipped in with useful wickets and, especially in the case of the latter, a decent number of runs.

But it is pertinent that, even in his last two seasons, and in his early 40s, it was John Emburey who finished as the club’s highest first-class wicket-taker. In 1994, he had 52 at 27, and in his final summer he bagged 74 victims at just under 22 runs each. During that 1995 runners-up year Emburey and Tufnell bowled more than 1,300 Championship overs between them and took 142 wickets.

Emburey was such a massive player for the Middlesex teams of the late 1970s, the 1980s and the early 1990s. He was ultra-consistent with the ball and could tie up an end even when not taking wickets. He made important runs in the lower middle-order and, as long-serving vice-captain, virtually took over the side in the field on occasions when Mike Gatting fancied a bit of a breather. He was almost like a joint-captain with Gatt by the end.

As a cricketer, and character, Embers was incredibly astute, shrewd and hard-nosed. He was also a great team man, and I think that his retirement from playing in 1995 really marked the end of Middlesex’s great years. Gatting may have still been in charge when we rocked up for the 1996 and 1997

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