Outstanding bowling figures of Evening Despatch's Fives and Fifties column in 1975

We had a copy of a scorecard showing how the Crook Town Under 15 team had bowled the Ushaw Moor Under 15 team all out for just 7 with Crook bowlers Lee Formosa taking 5wkts for 3 runs and Nick Dalton also 5 wkts for 3 runs.

There were also examples of other bowlers who had done well in August, which is usually a month when the batsmen get on top because the wickets are harder and firmer, the air dryer, which rules out a lot of seam movement, and the batsmen have had three months to get their eye in.

Exactly 40 years ago – on Saturday August 8, 1975 – we find however, that once more some bowlers had got right on top of the batsmen.

Here are the top top six bowling performances from the Fives and Fifties column which appeared in the Evening Despatch, the sister paper of The Northern Echo, on Monday August 11 1975.

Tim Wellock
7 for 25

Tim was a right arm slow bowler and today he is a cricket writer for The Northern Echo. Tim was playing for the Darlington Second team against Synthonia Seconds. Darlington chasing the title needed to win and Tim with his 7-25 helped to bundle out Synthonia, who batted first, for just 65 runs. Darlington went on to win by nine wickets to register their seventh successive win.

‘Tot’ Rumney
8 for 7
Tot was a left arm slow bowler who, from around the wicket, bowled a mixture of spinners/cutters. When he played for Wearhead he used to have a player called Herbie Thomas at leg slip should a batsman try and tickle his leg ball round the corner. Herbie took quite a few catches for ‘Tot’ in that position. orty years ago, ‘Tot’ was playing for Wolsingham against Shildon Town. It was a strange game as Shildon dismissed Wolsingham for just 38 with Vince Taylor taking 4-37. However, ‘Tot’ with a skittling 8-7 helped to put Shildon Town all out for 35 and, remarkably, Wolsingham won by 3 runs.

Keith Fleming
7 for 36
Keith was a right arm medium paced bowler who used a lot of guile, with change of pace, swing, and some spin in his armoury. In this game Keith was playing for Willington, who batted first, and made 174-8 with Alan Chapman hitting 62. Opponents Aycliffe, struggled in reply despite John Melvin’s 39 not out, folded on 103 with Keith taking 7-36 and John Mortimore 3-28.

Jim Swift
7 for 8

Jim was playing for Richmond at home to Rockcliffe Park with Richmond looking to retain the Darlington and District title. Rockcliffe batted first but Jim returned 7-8 from 12 overs and Rockliffe closed on just 44 all out leaving Richmond to win by 8 wickets, Frank Reekes 19 not out and Alan Porter 17.

Keith Todd
7 for 21, including hat-trick
Keith was playing for Patons and Baldwins against Spennymoor Seconds. The Spennymoor team batted first but only made 50 against Keith 7-25 and Peter Hipkiss 3-27. Patons won by 6 wickets.

R Raine 7 for 40
Match details are sketchy about this performance but R.Raine was playing for Middleton Tyas against Ingleton.