A Cricket Season in Numbers

Brigands CC
Sep 18
3 min read

Updated: Sep 19

A warmer summer and a series of flatter wickets produced a season more suited to the Brigands batters. Across the campaign, they amassed 4,224 runs for the loss of 162 wickets, conceding 3,973 in return while taking 168 wickets.

The number of runs scored per wicket is increasing, up from an average of 21.5 between 2020 and 2024, to 24.8 during the Summer of 2025.

There were nine victories for the Brigands, together with six defeats and seven draws, one of those a last-ball finish. Two Sundays and two midweek T20s were washed away by rain.

Brigands batted first 12 times, winning 5 of those games by bowling out the opposition, and batted second 10 times, winning 4 games chasing. Despite the better batting conditions, there was no marked increase in drawn matches.

Jake Peach ended with a batting average of 102.67, even loftier than Don Bradman’s immortal 99.94, and, for good measure, topped the bowling averages as well. He also bowled the most economical spell with his 1 wicket for 3 runs off 3 overs against the Stragglers of Asia.

Dougie Henderson was the only other Brigand whose batting average exceeded his age (33.75 v 20).

Guy Ladenburg supplied late-season fireworks, blasting the fastest 30 in Brigands history, and closing with 277 runs and 18 wickets. The “double” of 300 runs and 30 wickets remains elusive, but Ladenburg and Peach combined to break the all-time record for a seventh-wicket stand in their 110 against Hambledon.

The familiar names rose to the top of the charts once again: Dave Henderson as leading batter with a record 702 runs and Neil Wood as leading bowler with 29 wickets.

There were 22 ducks, including first ballers for Jim Morris, Steve Blackburn, Rob Manson, and Paul Whittle, who finished the season averaging over 7 and just behind Mark Flewitt, who averaged 7.4. There were 22 half-centuries too, the most stylish courtesy of Matt Saben-Clare and Lee Gray whose unbeaten opening stand of 170 ended when they graciously retired to let Adam Jay and Jim Morris have a bat.

Sixes were fewer this season; Dougie Henderson struck the most with seven, just ahead of Dave Turner on six. Ladenburg hit 3 sixes in one over, and was involved in more run outs than any other Brigand.

Neil Wood and Dave Turner were the most loyal and played the most games (19). More batters were used than in previous years; at least 9 were used in 18 of the 22 games, and artificial intelligence was used for the first time to help rotate the batting orders.

In the field, Brigands took 60 catches with Dave Henderson, Gerry Northwood, and Lee Gray the most reliable. Seven wicket keepers were used across the season, Charlie Peach took the best stumping, but Rupert Preece’s tidy glove work marked him out as the safest pair of hands behind the stumps.

Rafi Abdeen (12 wickets at 17 apiece) and Mike Beardall (15 wickets at an average of 38) made an impact, though it was John Dennis who claimed the season’s sole five-wicket haul (as well as a 3 for 19 off 7 overs in his other appearance).

Less effective bowlers included Dave Turner, who took a wicket every 77 balls at an average of 101 runs per wicket. Mo Ali didn't fare much better with a wicket every 54 balls and an average of 45. Ed Hands took himself off after 2 terrible overs against Stragglers of Asia, and Dougie Henderson conceded 11 runs off his first ball in Porto (5 wides and then a six). Dave Henderson bowled the most expensive over, conceding 22 in 6 balls against the Old Seagullians. Indeed, it was a good year to be a batter.