worcestershire all-rounder ed barnard created a slice of history with his bowling performance in the fine home win over lancashire in the specsavers county championship.
barnard managed the unusual feat of dismissing five batsmen all for a duck in the first innings.
the county’s heritage co-ordinator, tim jones, has been inundated with enquiries from members and supporters asking if this has been achieved before by a worcestershire player in first class cricket – and he reports that the answer is only twice.
in 1955 county paceman jack flavell achieved it in a championship match against kent at dover.
then the county’s current president-spin bowling coach norman gifford repeated the feat versus cambridge university at cambridge in 1972.
tim adds that barnard’s feat was the 155th occurrence of a bowler dismissing five or more batsman for a duck in an innings in first class cricket.
the record is seven ducks in an innings by c blythe for kent against northamptonshire at northampton in 1907 and the latest occurrence was by mark footitt for surrey against warwickshire at the kia oval last summer.
on another topic tim, with the help of cricket archive, has been able to answer members and supporters queries as to whether brett d’oliveira was the first d’oliveira to captain worcestershire in a first class game.
brett achieved the feat in the win against lancashire at New Road and is also in charge for the current game against nottinghamshire at trent bridge – and the one versus somerset next month.
the answer is that basil d’oliveira skippered the side on two occasions – versus warwickshire at edgbaston in 1971 and hampshire at new road in 1976 – but that damian never led the side in a first class fixture.
