Brigands in the Summer of 2026

In the Summer of 1976 it did not rain. The Oval was baked white, and Viv Richards made 829 runs in four Tests. Some summers the weather and one cricketer's form are memorable.

2026 as the hottest summer on record at Broadhalfpenny Down and Jake Peach broke records. He played 15 games, made 579 runs at 96.50 and took 33 wickets at 11.09, conceding 3.93 an over.

Peach took the season's only hat-trick and was the first player to achieve Bernard Marshall's double of 300 runs and 30 wickets, set back in 1977.

Both of the season's hundreds were his. 108 not out against Australia House, made in 102 minutes with 13 fours and two sixes before he retired to let someone else have a go. 106 not out from 69 balls against the Stragglers of Asia, where he and Jim Morris put on 160 for a fifth-wicket record, watched at close range by Graham Peach, who was fielding at point for the opposition.

It was a batting summer. In 2012, Brigands runs scored per wicket lost was 17.7. In 2026. it was 28.4. There were two hundreds and 24 fifties, of which 18 were retired or not out.

- Dave Henderson was consistent and made 627 runs at 48.23 from 19 innings

- Guy Ladenburg 397 at 33.08, with an 81 against the Butterflies containing 15 fours.

- Gerry Northwood 260 at 52.00, five not outs in ten innings either side of his sailing trip

- Rupert Preece 239, including a composed 50 in the low chase against the Sussex Martlets.

- Adam Jay 181 at 30.17, two fifties and lots of quick singles

- Dave Turner batted 18 times for 236, including an obdurate 50 against Whitchurch, and brought the most supporters with him than any other Brigand.

It was harder for the bowlers. No Brigand took five in a match. Three took four wickets in an innings; Rafi Abdeen twice, Ladenburg once, Peach once.

Three men bowled more than 100 overs;

• Mike Beardall 112 overs for 27 wickets at 21.33, and 20 appearances, more than anyone.

• Neil Wood 117 overs for 18 at 32.83, including 3 for 23 against the Refreshers with three bowled.

• Ladenburg 105 overs for 23 at 19.26 and 4.21 an over, which was the best control in the side from anyone, and 4 for 35 to finish the Saints off with the last ball of the match.

  
  

Behind them, a supporting cast of bowlers;

• Abdeen, the mystery spinner, took 16 at 18.13 with a best of 4 for 12. He went at under four an over across 74 overs.

• Rob Manson, fastest and most reliable, 66 overs for 11 at 28.55 and 4.76 an over, and seven maidens

• Alex McAdam, the young one, six wickets at 20.00 from five games at 4.86, plus 61 runs and an 80 partnership with Preece against Chertsey.

• John Brehaut, slow left arm, eight wickets at 31.75 from 43 overs, and the throw from long off that kept the Stragglers to two off the last ball.

• Lee Gray, one of the best league spinners in Hampshire, five wickets at 39.40 in seven games.

• Henry Moore, first season, an economy of 4.10, and showed promise.

• Sam Sargant bowled 13 overs for two wickets at 8.08 an over; reassuringly expensive.

In the field the Brigands took 69 catches and dropped about the same again. Henderson and Ladenburg led with 12 apiece, including run-outs. There only one stumping all season. Graham Peach reached 96 career catches, four short of being the first Brigand to 100, and took the best of the season in the last game.

Twenty-four matches, ten won, nine lost, five drawn. Nine were close with five overs to go. Seven sides were bowled out batting second.

The Brigands scored 4,312 for the loss of 149 wickets; the opposition 4,178 for 185. An average of 187 against 182. The margin over a season was five runs an innings.

Close to 8,500 runs were scored on the ground, more than in any season anyone can remember. Mark, Dennis and Cyril the groundskeepers will be pleased with that.

Wellington Wanderers beaten by 1 run; the Stragglers finishing level on 234 after 86 overs; the Butterflies chasing 236 with two balls left.

Over the season, forty players represented the Brigands, 11 of them ten times or more.

The largest crowd came on 6 September which marked 250 years since the third stump.

The umpiring included 27 LBWs against 26 in 2025.

The newly engaged Steve Blackburn scored 135 runs with one shot, Paul Whittle scored 114 runs with two.

Mo Ali played once, made 43 not out and took 2 for 3 off three overs. Paul Bailey played four matches, did not bat in any of them and took four catches.

Our guest photographers sent in more than 800 photographs, and match reports included more than 15,000 words.

A penny farthing passed the boundary during the Whitchurch game. The Anzac biscuits and koalas were new innovations this season for the Australia House game, as was Nina's Persian love cake on Vice Presidents Day.

There will be wetter summers, but there wont be many better ones.

Brigands 4312 for 149 drew with the Rest 4178 for 185. Played 24, won 10, lost 9, drawn 5.