MIDDLESEX v ESSEX B&H CUP FINAL LORD'S JULY 23 1983 CLIVE RADLEY NEIL FOSTER NORMAN COWANS

[@markhayward7400]

Watching Clive Radley bat here in a solo hand for Middlesex is to be reminded what a wonderful improviser he was. A batsman who embodied the maxim "It's not 'how' that matters, it's 'how many".

[@paulmorris9605]

the best cricket match ever ....no bias

[@sct352t3]

I watched this in disbelief on the TV at the time.....watching now it still defies belief!

[@oleggorky906]

Indeed! Me too; it was the greatest collapse since the Tower of Babel.

[@MrSteviedan]

Thanks for uploading this treat. Daniel looks about 10mph faster than anyone else, and Gooch and Gatting are a class apart. It was so great supporting Middlesex at this time. Gatting marshalled his bowlers brilliantly and there were so many strong characters in the team. Williams and Cowans are very underrated bowlers too, even if the former never quite fulfilled his potential.

[@markmelvin299]

Thanks for the upload! This so reminds me of club cricket back then. Start at 12.30 or 1 pm, bowl anywhere between 45 and 55 overs by earliest 4.30, latest 5 pm if there weren't enough runs, declare at 190 give or take, 30 minutes for tea, then 20 overs at 6.30 or 7 pm depending on the time of year. Scoring at 4 an over was considered pushing it! I played with most of that Essex team in various years so watching them like this brings back happy memories. Even the result, well OK not the result then. Cheers.

[@techBuffy]

What A Game, And What an upload. Great insight into a domestic final, crowds involvement. Crowd was exceptional.

[@terranceparsons5185]

I'm a Middlesex fan and had to leave watching on the telly when Gooch was going like a train. No internet of course so I put the highlights on when I got home half heartedly expecting a thrashing. 😁

[@stephenholmes1036]

When Brian Hardie was out it turned the game.

[@oleggorky906]

What an incredible finish to what seemed like a one way contest for about three quarters of the match! I’ve always said that low scoring tight matches usually make for the best of nerve tingling contests.

[@terranceparsons5185]

The legend that is CTR! Man of match in, what, 4 finals won by Middlesex? Contrast with Brian Hardie, took 40 overs to score 49. His glacial scoring was a major factor in Essex losing. Another half a run an over would have been enough.

[@digeme69]

I went to this game as an Essex member and sat in the old Mound Stand. Just watched it again and still after all this time find it hard to believe the outcome. I also went to the game they made reference to 3 days before when Essex played Kent at Chelmsford in the one day 60 over Nat West competition. They were cruising to victory but collapsed in the run chase and lost on the last ball of the match when Eldine Baptiste bowled Derick Pringle.

[@dmmordecai7984]

Hello Stephen, thank you for watching and sharing your memories. It was an amazing day. Have a great Christmas, DARREN

[@ianjones3568]

Great recall, according to the scorecard it was Ellison bowling Pringle. Two collapses in a week must've been frustrating, assuaged a bit by winning the County Championship though.

[@digeme69]

@@ianjones3568 It's not impossible it was Richard Ellison, it's a long time ago!

[@ianjones3568]

@@digeme69 I'm impressed with your memory. Couldn't help but look the game up.

[@digeme69]

@@ianjones3568 One thing I do remember clearly from this final with Middx was when McEwan was given out with Cowans supposedly catching the ball. The ball definitely hit the ground first and I remember the beeb showing a replay when you could see it hit the ground. Highlights edited this out but McEwan clearly didn't want to go and rightly so.

[@Waseemashraf1979]

Another Brilliant Upload

[@jameshope398]

What a final this was can't believe Essex lost this one

[@digeme69]

I couldn't believe it either, and I was there. It was very dark at the end though

[@terranceparsons5185]

So glad "Echo" Graveney is on hand to repeat whatever insights Jim or Richie provide. Otherwise we might miss them

[@TheBundleofkent]

Botham is worse

[@terranceparsons5185]

@@TheBundleofkent I've not heard enough of Botham commentating to make a judgment. I must say I really enjoy Shane Warne, Nasser and Aggers. Can't stand that kiwi bloke who specializes in IPL and other T20. I'm from the Golden age of Thank you Jim, thanks Richie. Botham goes to his century at Old Trafford with a maximum. " And what a glorious way to go to a six!" Thanks Jim, priceless!

[@paulwebb6087]

I always rated Norman Cowans

[@digeme69]

A decent bowler but wasn't the most sporting in this match. He claimed the catch of McEwan but I remember the highlights shown back in 83 where the ball clearly bounced before he claimed the catch. Ken McEwan didn't want to go as he could see it bounced, but the umpires gave it out. No referrals back then.

[@jandekker6008]

Fletch at the end sounds like Paul Whitehouse.

[@OwenWalters-ny5qh]

Classic Final!!

[@ianjones3568]

Hit wicket after being hit on the head is a tough way to get out. Poor old Ponty. Butcher was also hit on the head at the same ground the previous week, smashed his face in and missed this game. They must have put dynamite in the pitch.

[@horrortackleharry]

33:52 OK- wasn't sure if a 'Hit Wicket' dismissal would count as wicket to the bowler. Seems like it does.

[@jandekker6008]

The second major one-day final? Wouldn't that have been the NatWest?

[@paulwebb6087]

Have you forgot the World Cup Final

[@jandekker6008]

@@paulwebb6087 Good point. It was the month before!

[@Huly241072]

Botham sounds stoned 😂💨

[@davidbrooks1341]

Essex only have themselves to blame. 12 runs needed from 4 overs with 5 wickets in hand? If i was Gooch and Fletcher i would have made the last 6 batsmen walk back to Essex from Lords. OK i know Middlesex had all of the luck going but still. How times have changed.. these days in limited over cricket if you're chasing 30 off of 4 overs with 8 wickets down it's still a 50/50 game. Pathetic Essex. Wasn't this the year when Somerset broke Middlesex's hearts when Botham made 96 not out in the semi final of the Nat West? Somerset were 5 down and still needed 130 odd? The last over the scores were level and he padded Emburey away for the over and Somerset won the game losing fewer wickets?

[@digeme69]

It was, I watched it again not too long ago. Botham played out the final over as a maiden. I was at the 83 B and H Final and it was unbelievable how Essex lost but it was far darker at the end than appears on the tv footage. McEwan wasn't out and in the days of reviews they would've clearly seen the ball bounce before Cowans claimed the catch. David East smashed it but it went straight to Gatting. It just wasn't meant to be I suppose.

[@davidbrooks1341]

Thanks for the reply digme. Do you know where you watched the footage of the Somerset game where Botham padded the final over out? Many thanks. David.@@digeme69

[@davidbrooks1341]

I'm afraid it's only YOuTube Digme. I did email the BBC for the 1979 Gillette cup 1/4 final Somerset v Kent when Garner run Kent ragged and bowled them all out for 60 . I had sent my cheque off for £70 only then to have it sent back and Sunset Vine told me they then wanted £395 for the DVD. It's such a shame as so many great games from Gillette, Nat West, John Player League are all gathering dust with sunset vine in their archive department. So sadly no. Thank you for asking.@@digeme69

[@terranceparsons5185]

127-1 after 29, 185 - 5 after 51. Chasing 197. 12 off 4 overs with 5 wickets. How the hell did they lose.

[@digeme69]

If you think that was bad take a look at this one of Surrey chasing 236 against Lancs kzbin.info/www/bejne/jnK2fJaLbr6Fhdk

[@terranceparsons5185]

@@digeme69 Oh my! 212 for 1, to 220 odd all out. Impossible! Thanks for the upload

[@johncourtneidge]

Yes. But it's not cricket.

[@terranceparsons5185]

These one day test matches were often turgid affairs that burst into life in the last 30 minutes. 4 an over was considered high scoring and anything over 200 was a good score. 196 - 8. Ye gods, the current England team would knock this off inside 30 overs without breaking a sweat.

[@paulmorris9605]

or maybe they wouldnt very hot and cold side