If I remember correctly, the year is 2027 and despite our white-ball (ODI/T20I) woes, we sit third in the Test rankings. A national record 1007 all out against West Indies went some way to erasing the pain of the infamous 43 all out debacle against Pakistan a few years ago.
Poor Ollie Pope, he compiled a career best 279, only to be outshone by stand-in skipper Sam Hain (382) in their record-breaking third-wicket combo of 629.
Hain’s 382 was not only the highest innings of my tenure, surpassing injured captain Max Holden’s 307 not out but was in fact the highest Test score ever by an Englishman. Hain overtook Sir Len Hutton’s 364 but fell short of Brian Lara’s Test record of 400 not out.
Saqib Mahmood (6-134) led the way as we bundled the visitors out twice inside two days. Hain (6296 @ 54.75, 21/20) and Pope (5457 @ 47.45, 18/19) continue to dominate Test cricket. Joe Clarke (5159 @ 40.30, 10/25) is finally fulfilling his potential at Test level while captain Max Holden (5506 @ 55.62, 12/30) is another to have surpassed 5000 Test runs. On the bowling front, leg-spinner Matthew Parkinson (427 @ 23.19) has his eyes firmly set on 500 if not 600 Test wickets!
Silly Point Cricket 