Knockers CC :: Legends

Saturday 21 December 2024

MEMBERS

A selection of notable Knockers (work in progress)

	John Watson-Simpson The man that started it all. A senior partner at Knocker & Foskett Solicitors in Sevenoaks from which the club takes its name. A keen recruiter for the club and known to enquire about cricketing backgrounds for prospective employees. Prominent in the local area.
	Norman Oldale Forever a friend of the club. Got a job at Knocker & Foskett after informing JWS that he did play cricket and was thrown into the side the following weekend. Took the gloves and played for many years. Followed the fortunes of the club until his death in 2014.
	Bill Andrews Early years batsman, playing over 100 times for the club. For many years the club's most reliable source of runs.
	Ron Stanley Our first seamer. Took the club's first hat-trick in 1952 and a regular wicket taker. A car salesman in Otford. Formed a formidable partnership with Geoff Enderby in the late 1950's.
	Doug Chase Early mainstay, playing over 100 games for the club taking over 150 wickets. Painter and Decorator by trade and great at welcoming new recruits to the club.
	Cyril Challis Started with Knockers as a 12 year old boy in 1951, roped in by his sister who worked at Knocker & Foskett. Played with all the early legends and still had stories to tell in 2015. Moved on to become a stalwart at Chevening Amblers.
	Geoff Enderby Nowt as quick as our Geoff. Feared local quick bowler who approached the crease off of only six paces to unleash what was talked of as the fastest pace in the area. Worked at Ibbets Estate Agents. Holder of many Knockers bowling records including the most five wicket hauls.
	Ian Miller Always volunteered for action. Worked his way up the batting order and always ready to bowl just so he could be in the thick of the action.
	Dr. Ned Hutton Cast Iron opener and local cricketing legend. Once president of the club and regularly accumulating 1000 runs for the season across his various clubs. Kept a cricket bag under his desk at the MOD site of Fort Halstead in case he was ever called to action.
	Mike Woodman Club stalwart and run machine. Also a wily left-arm bowler and excellent fielder at gully. Brought much humour to field with his acerbic sledging but still very popular with opponents. Encouraged new Knockers into enjoying their time at the club and became club president.
	Maurice Leach Former captain who played throughout the late 1950's into the late sixties gaining over 100 Knockers appearances.
	John Cutting Reliable fixture in the side for over a decade, mostly in the sixties, gaining over 100 caps for the team.
	David Daniel Popular quick bowler with a Welsh background. Often found himself being umpired by his proud dad but had too much talent to need any parental influence. Took nine wickets in one match in 1959. Died in a car accident early on in 1966 and for several years his four clubs played a tournament in his name.
	Keith Miller As true a Knocker as you are likely to find. Played for the club for over forty years as a middle order batsman, wicket keeper and handy bowler. A skilled linguist, he is also a fine teller of Knockers tales which comes in useful as the club president. Often found wandering his dogs around the periphery of a Knockers match. His son, Guthrie went on to become another Knockers regular.
	Dick Bates Larger than life character and quick scoring batsman. Very happy to relate stories of his nights out which many Knockers lapped up. Twenty years a Knocker.
	Mike Martin Wicket taking medium pacer and mid to lower order batsman. He was a fixture in the side for over thirty years and is the Knockers all-time wicket taker with around 400 scalps. Capable of holding together the late order batting in a crisis and scored two centuries for the club.
	Tony Martin Possibly Knockers' surest batsman. Reliable for runs and very capable of taking wickets. He and his brother, Mike, were the backbone of several Knockers eras along with Pete Smith, Keith Miller, Ned Hutton and Mike Woodman. The club's most successful all-rounder with over 5000 runs and 200 wickets.
	John Hornsby Classy local batsman capable of rapid scoring and has seven Knockers centuries to his name. His 147no was a Knockers record for over 30 years. An average of over 40 speaks for itself.
	Bob Golds Aggressive Vine favourite batsman and captain and a powerful Knocker. In 1972 he smashed 141 against Holmesdale and followed it up with five wickets although not being especially known for his wicket taking prowess. Probably Knockers greatest individual performance against quality opposition.
	Peter Ellison Very handy all-rounder and on-field character who played for several local clubs. Scored a ton against Downshall CC but more noted for his bowling. His son also turned out for Knockers.
	Pete Smith A 48 year playing career with the club made him a prominent and much loved Knocker. Capable of a decent score with the bat, he kept a personal tally of his cricketing exploits being proud of his century and influence in several record partnerships. Loves the social side of the game and club treasurer for many years.
	Andrew Sims Became a key batsman for Knockers for over a decade, hitting three centuries and maintaining an average just over 40. Played throughout the club's most social years and one of his three centuries came against the aptly named Battle CC in 1980 in a tied game.
	Graham Sagar Destructive batsman and reliable bowler. His batting average standing at a shade over 40, he recorded two centuries for the club with a top score of 123 against Wrotham St George CC in 1986.
	Ian Dunlop Aggressive middle order batsman and handy bowler. Took his game seriously but enjoyed the social aspect of the Knockers ethos.
	Stephen Trounce As popular a Knocker as you are likely to find. His slow bowling was the downfall of many a batsman, often having too much time to change their mind over what shot to play. A mass of grinning Knockers fielding around him can't have helped! Quiz master, statistician, club treasurer, happy to umpire, score or play, his death in 2006 came too early and his popularity at the Vine too sees a memorial match played each year in his name.
	Richard Botting If all match records were available - many containing his most productive years were lost in a fire - he is likely to stand head and shoulders above the rest of the batting statistics. An average just over 50 and 14 (on record) centuries for Knockers, he is an all-time great. A very capable bowler too and never shy of joining in the social side of the game.
	Andy Darry One of the most determined cricketers on the local circuit. He returned to the game following a car crash in which he lost his arm, practicing at every opportunity to readjust his game. He went on to captain Knockers, recruiting a lot of new blood from the Vine to which he has strong ties. His spin bowling was canny and his tongue sharp, especially to his own teammates but he oversaw an extremely successful period for the club.
	Ken Cowan As reliable a Knocker as could found. For many years Ken, Andy Darry and Paul Styles were likely to be turning out for the club. His "Durham Darts" were a regular source of wickets and he was happy to bowl long spells which would contain even if scalps were not coming his way. Started out as a batsman which no-one seems to have witnessed, it would take a strong man to carry Ken's bat - it weighed as if made of lead!
	Paul Styles Quality Batsman who moved over from Westerham CC. Popular player and Knockers regular whose wife, Kathy was often in attendance with their dogs. Very reliable for runs and a calm head to assist a young side, he loves his cricket. Would take the gloves and also a safe pair of hands in the slips.
	Ian Hitchcock Averaging over 40 with the bat, a popular and talented Knocker who possibly walked away from the game too soon. Enjoyed social cricket and the Knockers way of playing.
	Guthrie Miller Following in his father's footsteps, became a mainstay in the team eventually surpassing Keith's batting records and adding regular wickets to boot. His "moon ball" being a reliable weapon. A belligerent batsman, whose game continues too grow in confidence. He captained the side, often stepping up during batting collapses.
	Stuart Seldon Elegant and unflustered batsman with over 200 caps for the club. A quiet but strong influence on the team and club as a whole, helping hold things together through a lean patch in the 2000's. Keen recruiter of talent and astute observer of the game who is as popular with the opposition (despite his scoring exploits) as with his fellow Knockers. Genuine class.
	Paul Seldon A brilliant batsman to watch with an expansive array of shots which can take the game away from the opposition. Like his brother, Stuart, a quiet sort of chap who has no need to shout about his obvious talents. Added to his batting, he is an excellent swing bowler and has a safe pair of hands in the field. Has recently made the batsman of the year award his own.
	Lynden Spencer-Allen True Knocker who continues to apply his great cricketing talent for the club despite moving to Cambridge. Initially known more for his aggressive seam bowling, he took over 150 wickets for the club. His batting came to the fore and his average continues to improve. Once led an eight-man Knockers to a win with a century against Shoreham CC. Very influential off the field, setting up an extensive website, being club secretary and keen tourist.
	Corin Spencer-Allen Quality all-rounder who took the game seriously. Had a healthy rivalry with his brother, Lynden with several end year awards going back and forth between them. Highly athletic and out three times in the nineties denying him a merited century for the club.
	Dan Turner Left arm quick whose tense and tight spells could dominate the opposition. There is a palpable sense of relief from a batsman when the big man is taken off. Always looking for the fun in the game, his temper could blow but not for long, even if fellow Knockers hands didn't always hold on to the chances he created. Very popular and a consummate tourist.
	Guy Howe Claimer of the "Knockers ball of the century" in a match against Ide Hill. A strong off-field influence at the club, mostly down the pub or at tea as he regales us with his tales of love and conquests. Became Knockers captain in 2015, skillfully leaving all the hard work to others and remaining popular at the same time. Capable of a handy innings as well as nicking a handy wicket in tough moments of play.
	Ted Darry Played for the club from a young age, attending with his dad, Andy. Very tidy spin bowler who gradually turned his attention to the bat, becoming reliable for runs. Seems to have turned to medium pace but whatever part the game he is asked to do, be it bat, bowl, keep or field, he does it with aplomb.