It has been hard to keep up with all the outstanding milestones that have been reached this season, and there are plenty more to add to the list!
Incredibly, we have broken or reached a series of highly rare achievements this season, from the first Spartan to 12,000 runs, another entrant into the 400 games category, a record partnership, and first grade five wicket hauls, as just some of the records broken in 2016/17.
The fantastic trend continues in early 2017, with a number of milestones recently reached or coming up in the very near future!
Latest Milestones:
Congratulations to the following Spartans, who recently achieved some outstanding milestones:
David Abercrombie – 300 Games
A Spartan stalwart in Abba recently became just the fourteenth player to reach a whopping three hundred games for the Club.
In the final game for 2016 before the Christmas break, Abba, in his twenty second season, joined the likes of many other Spartan legends in Ron McDonald, David Blight, Graeme Ashley, Brian Waterer, Peter Read, and most recently, Sean Wright, to name but a few, in reaching the 300 game milestone.
A two time premiership player, Abercrombie was inducted as a Life Member of the Club in 2014, and has served many years on the Committee, including last year.
You can read more about Abba’s entry into the prestigious Club by clicking here!
Chris Edwards – 1000 Runs
The evergreen Chrisso has recently passed one thousand runs for the Leeming Spartan Cricket Club, and although he hasn’t taken to the field too often this season, he stops by the clubhouse most training and post-match evenings.
Since first debuting for the Spartans in the 2009/10 season, Edwards has played 69 games for the Club, and currently sits on 1010 runs at a very strong average of 23.0.
A regular contributor with the bat, Chrisso’s solid defence and ability to regularly rotate the strike makes him a first pick in almost any team, ever reliable to contribute a handy score with the bat.
Congratulations mate!
Russell Lee – 3000 Runs
Russ scored his three thousandth run for the Club when he compiled his season’s second top score of 51 in an important 3rd Grade victory over Armadale.
Always amongst the runs, Russ has had yet another solid season with the bat, having scored two half centuries.
He had a fantastic season in 2015/16, scoring 355 runs and was one of the main contributors in the 5th Grade’s Two-Day Premiership victory. His unbeaten 36 in the second innings ensured there would be no hiccups in chasing down East Fremantle’s target of 84, hitting the winning runs in a memorable victory.
In 95 matches for the Club, Russ has 3022 runs at an average of 33.58, with a personal best of a whopping 144.
Upcoming Milestones:
We also have some major milestones coming up in the next few weeks, including one so rare that it hasn’t occurred in almost fifty years!
Mick Bennett – 600 Wickets (Currently 599)
A Club legend through and through, Benno is set to become just the fourth person in our 99 year history to reach 600 wickets for the Club.
On the back of yet another incredible season with the ball, Benno currently sits on 599 wickets and if his recent form is anything to go by, should reach the milestone this weekend against Armadale at Gwynne Park.
He will join George Pluske (601 wickets since his debut in 1956), Ron Stanton (617 wickets since his debut in 1957), and most recently Bevan James (635 wickets after debuting in 1960).
Benno’s 39 five wicket hauls are a Club Record, and having posted them from just 22 seasons, incredibly he averages almost two per season!
He already has one to his name this season when he took 6/25 against Bicton Attadale in Round 9, a performance that is also a grade record for the Club.
Read all about Benno’s outstanding record by clicking here!
Gareth Finlay – 3000 Runs (Currently 2971)
The Findog is on the verge of three thousand runs for the Club, and continues the march towards the milestone with scores of 22 and 20 in his last two games.
Despite only having played four games this season, Finners continues to be one of the Club’s most popular members, and for his fundraising and other off field efforts was awarded a Life Membership in 2013.
Currently sitting on 289 games as well, Finners has scored 2971 runs across his twenty three seasons at the Leeming Spartan Cricket Club since joining following his graduation from the Spartan Juniors in the mid nineties.
Andrew Gibbs – 350 Wickets (Currently 348)
Gibbsy is approaching the three hundred and fifty wicket mark for the Leeming Spartan Cricket Club, and with just two more to get, could achieve the feat against the reigning Premiers Cockburn this Saturday at Davilak Oval.
What makes Gibbs’ record even more incredible is the fact that most of those 348 have come from the First Grade.
A best performance of 6/16 and a bowling average of just 14.14 runs per wicket are incredible statistics, and we look forward to seeing him hit the mark in reaching this milestone, as he always seems to do with ball in hand!
Josh Mann – 100 Wickets (Currently 98)
Josh is just two wickets shy of joining the elusive one hundred wicket mark for the Club, a performance he could very well achieve tomorrow in the One Day ‘B’s at Rushton Park.
He has taken 6 wickets from four matches this season, including 3/40 in the opening round. He also made 36 batting at four in that game in what was a very solid all round performance.
Congratulations to all of those mentioned above, who either have just passed a milestone for the Club, or are on the verge of completing one!
We wish you all the best for the remainder of the season! #SpartanFamily
Finally, a special congratulations to both David Abercrombie and Mick Bennett.
The milestones that these two Spartans have reached/on the verge of reaching are almost incomprehensible.
Abba’s 300 games and Benno’s 600 wickets are on the back of years of contributions to the Leeming Spartan Cricket Club – both on and off the field – and the two are well deserving of these outstanding milestones.
To play 300 games or take 600 wickets for a Club places you amongst the greatest members the Club has bore witness to, and the likes of Dave Abercrombie and Mick Bennett are certainly no exception.
Congratulations fellas, and all the best Benno for tomorrow!