THE Marshall Hatchick Two Counties Championship Veterans’ sides enjoyed a record-breaking day in a double success at Halstead’s Star Stile ground last Thursday.

On two excellent batting tracks the bowlers were made to suffer as only 14 wickets fell in a combined total of 147 overs across the two matches.

An undefeated opening partnership of 237 between Ray Black (153 not out) and Don Curtis (69 not out) saw the Over-60s side hammer Martin Couch’s Surrey XI by 10 wickets.

Not only was Black’s the highest individual score for a Two Counties Over-60s batsman, it was also the highest stand for any Over-60s wicket.

Martin Couch’s Surrey XI 236 for 3 dec (S Butt 81, C Lamb 63no, T Morris 44, B Turley 1 for 47, C Simmons 1 for 59). Two Counties Over-60s 237 for 0 (R Black 153no, D Curtis 69no). Two Counties won by 10 wkts.

The Over-50s side also had an impressive victory, chasing down Essex Police’s total of 214 for seven in a 40-over match.

Their win came by six wickets with five overs to spare thanks to an unbroken fourth-wicket stand of 92 between Edgar Dunkley and skipper Pat Patel.

Essex Police 214 for 7 (J Lewis 82, N Cockrell 42, J Stonehouse 34, P Patel 4 for 23). Two Counties Over-50s 217 for 4 (E Dunkley 89no, P Patel 48no, J Wiseman 25, C Roper 3 for 39). Two Counties won by 6 wkts.

VETERAN batsman John Stuck feared his cricket career might be over when he underwent a serious knee operation last season.

But the 67-year-old, who has played for England Over-60s, was back to his best when he helped Essex Over-60s to victory over their Suffolk counterparts at Frinton last Tuesday.

Suffolk had posted a useful total of 215 for seven from their 45 overs, with Neil Hames, fresh from his record-breaking innings of 174 not out the previous week, leading the way with 58. Hames and opening partner Peter Boughton (54) put on 85 for the first wicket and Dick Bond (36) and skipper Peter Webb (23 not out) also made useful contributions.

But in reply Clacton left-hander Stuck scored 74 from 112 balls, sharing an opening partnership of 195 with Robert Newman, who went on to score 117 not out as Essex reached their target for the loss of just one wicket and with 4.5 overs to spare.

Stuck played Minor Counties and Over-50s cricket for Suffolk before turning out for Essex at the higher age group.

Suffolk 215 for 7 (N Hames 58, P Boughton 54, R Bond 36, P Webb 23no, K Pratt 3 for 45). *Essex 217 for 1 (R Newman 117no, J Stuck 74). Essex won by 9 wkts.

SUFFOLK Over-50s were disappointed to go down by 25 runs when they entertained Norfolk in the 50+ County Championship at Mildenhall on Wednesday.

Norfolk made a steady start thanks to Martin Pearse (41), Peter Coote (56) and Dickie Sayers (69) who took the total up to 173 before the fourth wicket fell.

Then Ian Booth picked up four for 48 and there was a debut wicket for John Nicholl and two for Nigel Dennis as Norfolk were bowled out for 226.

Suffolk’s top order also started well enough, with openers Andrew Gallant (27) and Peter Boughton (38) backed up by Tony Stubbs (34), Keith Howlett (16) and Kevin Dobson (44).

But the remaining six batsmen only managed 24 runs between them as the last seven wickets fell for the addition of just 27 runs, and Suffolk were all out for 201 with 2.3 overs remaining.

Suffolk’s next match is away to Lincolnshire at Skegness tomorrow.

Norfolk 226 (D Sayers 69, P Coote 56, M Pearse 41, K Ross 23, I Booth 4 for 48). *Suffolk 201 (K Dobson 44, P Boughton 38, T Stubbs 34, A Gallant 27, K Ross 3 for 27, M Lester 3 for 34). Norfolk won by 25 runs.

SUFFOLK Over-60s 2nd XI scored an emphatic 79-run win over Hertfordshire at Hadleigh on Thursday.

The success was built around a tremendous opening partnership of 151 between Doug Andrews, who carried his bat for an unbeaten 88, and Graham Penny, who scored 83 with 13 fours before being dismissed. A short break because of rain meant the match was reduced to 41 overs per side which probably denied Andrews a century.

Suffolk went on to score 217 for three, with skipper Chris Watson (14 not out) helping Andrews to add 32 in an unbroken fourth-wicket partnership.

Hertfordshire were never really in the hunt to overhaul that total and when slow left-armers Mark Sargeant (three for 10) and Alan Burt (three for 14) got to work the innings subsided to 138 for eight.

*Suffolk 217 for 3 (D Andrews 88no, G Penny 83). Hertfordshire 138 for 8 (J Patel 29, E Riddle 27, K Hammond 21, M Sargeant 3 for 10, A Burt 3 for 14). Suffolk won by 79 runs.