Graham Napier, DYK Fact #439

[George Law]

On Tuesday 24 June 2008, in a Twenty20 Cup match between Essex Eagles and Sussex Sharks at Chelmsford, Graham Napier smashed a world-record 16 sixes while batting for Essex! He also scored 10 fours for his unbeaten 158, which came off a mere 58 balls and helped the Eagles to a thumping 242 for 3 in 20 overs!

Not surprisingly, Sussex could not get anywhere near the target, and were eventually all out for 114 to hand the hosts victory by a gobsmacking 128 runs! (That’s equivalent to something like a ten-nil victory in football!)

Did you know? Graham Richard Napier was born in 1980 in Colchester, Essex. (Well, I do know where he comes from – BBC Essex commentator Paul Newton, who supports Colchester United, regularly refers to Napier as a “local boy” (or something like that).)

And, Essex Eagles are not only in the quarterfinals of the Twenty20 Cup competition but also in the final of the Friends Provident Trophy competition! They beat Yorkshire Carnegie by 87 runs in the semifinal at Chelmsford yesterday (Essex 285 for 8 in 50 overs, Yorkshire 198 all out in 42.5)!

[Ebudae]

Did you know? Napier did not get to bat for Essex in Saturday’s Lord’s final. I suppose that was the only disappointment on the day for Essex fans – who might have relished watching some fireworks from the Colchester man with the bat.

[George Law]

Did you know? What Essex Eagles had to do is summed up by Grant Flower: “Chasing a small total you just hang in, get a partnership going.” There was thus no need for Napier to come in and smack the ball all round the park, much as the Essex fans and many neutrals (and possibly even a few Kent supporters) would loved to be entertained by watching him swing the bat. Kent Spitfires tried to be to adventurous with their shots when they were batting, and they paid the price.

Both sides bowled well, no question about that. Kent may have given away 15 extras in wides and no-balls (in contrast to just 2 from Essex) but they still bowled tightly and kept the pressure on Essex throughout the Eagles’ innings. The fact that there was not a six in the whole of the match says it all.

[Ebudae]

Hey George. I know you don’t have Sky Sports, so I guess you haven’t seen the match highlights yet?

http://www.apnicommunity.com/official-cricket-forums/70078-friends-provident-trophy-08-final-kent-spitfires-v-essex-eagles-full-highlights-hq.html

[George Law]

Marvellous! Thank you, Ebudae! You are wonderful! Mwah!

[shyvera]

Thursday 19 May 2011

Sixes record matched by Essex all-rounder Graham Napier

Essex’s Graham Napier equalled the record for the number of sixes in a first-class innings before Surrey fought back at Whitgift School.

Napier, 31, cleared the ropes 16 times on the way to a 130-ball 196 as Essex, 318-6 overnight, were all out for 548.

He matched the number of maximums hit by Andrew Symonds for Gloucestershire against Glamorgan in 1995.

BBC News