The same number of games (10) as in 1998 produced just 3 wins: narrow victories over Built Environment and Heaton Manor School (each with three balls to spare) and a thumping 69 run victory over Guinea Pigs. Architects entered the fixture list for the first time.

On the batting front, a total of 775 runs were accumulated, representing 77.5 runs per innings. Although this was an improvement on the previous year (71), it was accompanied by a weaker bowling performance (only 48 wickets or 4.8 per match, compared to 5.5 in 1998) which had the effect of worsening the win ratio. The outstanding batsman was the long-serving Ian Morgan. His 8 innings yielded 176 runs; with three not outs (including 50 n.o. v Durham Staff), he finished with an average of 35.2. A new kid on the block, however, was Andy Porteous, whose 90 runs from three innings (including 43 versus Durham Staff) gave him an average of 30.0. Other newcomers, Shiv Nanda and Dave Hughes, both scored runs, but it is noticeable how the – to the untutored eye, eccentric – batting style of Tony Cleaver yielded 43 runs from four innings. Tim Hall managed five not outs from seven innings. Gareth Taylor’s rising batting average continued: the 29 runs resulting from his five nonchalant strolls out to the wicket computes at 5.80 a knock.

On the bowling front, the two openers led the way. Tony Cleaver – ever reluctant to take the ball for the first over – led the wicket takers, with 14 for 92 off 31 overs (at a very economical 3 runs per over). His best figures (4 for 5), achieved against Kenton School, left just one question hanging in the air: how did the team contrive to lose that match? During the season, Nanda Shiv bowled 21 overs (10-97) and Tim Hall 32 (6-158), with the next highest number of overs (10.2) being propelled in the general direction of the batter by one Gareth Taylor (taking 3-73).

Previous: Season 1998