Hardinges to step down

Jul 30 2010

MARK Hardinges has decided to step down from playing three-day cricket for Bucks.

The former Gloucestershire all-rounder, who made a significant contribution to Bucks winning the Minor Counties Championship last season, announced the decision after scoring a century in the county's drawn Eastern Division game against Norfolk at Norwich last week.

Bucks team manager Jon Coles said the player's bowling was factor in his decision.

“Although, as we saw against Norfolk, Mark can still make a massive contribution with the bat, he is really struggling to bowl at a level he is happy with,” Coles said.

“As we are now out of the running for the Championship this year, he felt the time was right to step down. We wish him well for the future. He didn't rule out an 'emergency' one-day appearance next year."

Hardinges featured in a record-breaking stand in his final game.

Bucks were in desperate straits at 84-6 in reply to Norfolk's big first innings score of 390-6, before Hardinges and David Cranfield-Thompson added 183 for the seventh wicket. This beat the county's oldest existing record, overtaking the seventh wicket stand of 160 between PJ de Paravicini and FT Higgins against Hertfordshire at Watford in 1897.

Hardinges made 109 of 163 balls, while Cranfield-Thompson, the High Wycombe wicket-keeper contributed 84.

In the end, Bucks, trailed by just 62 on first innings and then bowled Norfolk out for 208 in the second innings.

Set 277 for victory, Bucks batted out time at 138-2 and the match petered out into a draw, leaving Bucks still seeking their first win of the campaign.

The stars for Norfolk were James Spelman and former Kent and Leicestershire batsman Trevor Ward, both of whom scored first-innings centuries.