OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCES IN N.W. CRICKET

Ireland's Saturday Night, 2 May, 1970

IT MIGHT be said it is the to score a century in a cricket also be said that it is the aim to take fistful of vital wickets.

Looking back over the years it is interesting to note that there have been approximately 150 centuries scored in various North-West competitions since as far back as 1888. This represents about two centuries a season on average but of course there were many years when centuries were not scored while in the 1934 season a record number of eleven were scored.

The first century to be scored was by Lieutenant Martyn of the West Kent Regiment. who scored 139 not out against Ardmore in July, 1893. However, one must jump forward to the 1930s when a total of 63 centuries were scored and it was during this period that many records were established.

In August. 1935. E. D. R. Shearer and R. W. Moore. City of Derry. rattled up 103 no. and 101 n.o. respectively. in a league match against Killaloo. Two years later J. L. Rankin and Lt. W. Taylor. Strabane. scored 102 n.o. and 100 no. respectively. against SW Borderers. while in 1939, J. L. Rankin and P. McLaughlin. Strabane. scored 217 and 118 respectively against St. Johnston.

1930 saw for the first time a century scored by a player on both teams. For Strabane P McLaughlin. J. McFarlane, Sion. replied with 145. This has only happened on one further occasion in 1934. when E. D. R. Shearer. City of Derry. scored 116 n.o. while D. Elder scored 101 no.

The 1930 s was also the only time when four players had the distinction of scoring centuries on successive matches — W. Jeffrey. Brigade. 143 and against Co. Tyrone and St. Johnston. respectively. is May-June. 1930: Andy McFarlane Sion. 100 and 118 against Eglinton and Brigade in June. 1937: R. W. Taylor, Strabane. 102 and 105 no, against Brigade and Waterside in June. 1938. and finally J. L. Rankin. Strabane. 217 and 104 0.0. against St. Johnston and City of Derry  in July  1939.

The first century to be scored In the North-West Senior Cup final was also in the thirties. in 1932 EDR Shearer, City of Derry, scored 110 against St. Johnston. Since then a further seven centuries have been scored the final. the fastest being in 1935 when It. W. Moore. of Derry. scored his 100 in 75 minutes against Sion Mills. 

However, the fastest century ever to be scored was by JL Rankin, Strabane. who against Sion in an evening fixture at Sion scored his century in 29 minutes. Next to this is Rankin's first 100 in his double century against St. Johnston in 1939. This century was scored in 50 minutes. A long time before this A. McFarlane, Sion, rattled his 100 in 60 minutes against' St. Johnston but it is interesting to note that he remained on 99 for 10 minutes. In this match McFarlane and: T. J. Pontonby scored 40 between them in two overs.  The 1930s also saw the only; double centuries to be scored:' 1933. Shearer (231); 1933. A. McFarlane (227) and 1939. JL Rankin (217).

The only centuries to be scored in the Faughan Valley Cup final have been scored by W. Allen 176 no. City of Derry v Waterside in 1946  and by R. C. Elder 113 Brigade v Eglinton in 1951) while  McFarlane 117 and T. Harper 108. both of Sion. have been: successful against Armagh' (1946) and Instonians 1964) in the Northern Union Cup final.

E.D.R. Shearer is the only North-West player to score a century for Ireland.   And he and Aubrey Finlay (Sion) and Brown The Castlerock professional. are the only players to score centuries for NWCU against NCU In 1934. 1937 and 1895 respectively.

Willie Jeffrey and Andy McFarlane are the only two to score centuries in the Derry v; Tyrone inter -county fixture. while A. McFarlane holds the record for the highest number of centuries with over 20, to his credit.

 With regard to the bowlers, only a few have captured all ten wickets. In 1910 J. T. Rinks of Clooney, routed City of Derry by taking 10 wickets for 8 runs while the following year P. J. McLaughlin Strabane. captured all City of Derry wickets for 20 runs. In 1920 William McGarvey. Brigade. bowled out Ardmore by taking 10 wickets for 14 runs while some years later John Gault. Ardmore. bowled out', Fawney by taking 10 wickets for 50 runs.

In 1949 Scott Huey. Eglinton, captured 10 Donemana wickets for 10 runs while in 1961 Donemana yet again fell to his bowling when he captured all 10 wickets—this time for 28 runs. 

So In the history of NW Senior competitive cricket only five bowlers have succeeded in capturing all ten wickets.