Clapham Nomads Legends

30th April 2019 will mark the 25th anniversary of Clapham Nomads cricket. Can it really be that long? Not many wars, plagues or famines have lasted that length of time and you would have to commit, or be found guilty of, a very serious crime to serve a 25-year prison sentence.
To mark this occasion, I have decided to name the 25 men who must be considered as "Clapham Nomads Legends."  This is based not just on their playing record but also on length of service and reliability, entertainment value and other factors. I will just use their first names in the manner of the Brazil football team unless I have to use the surname to avoid confusion. I will gradually fill in each of these players' career records for the Nomads and a brief description and appreciation over the next few weeks. The man judged to be the greatest Clapham Nomads player of all time will be awarded the Emil Todorow Trophy.

And the winner of the Emil Todorow Trophy is.......

Hasan (2000 to ----)

What more can you say about Hasan? He has been a fantastic player for the club. I meant to do an appreciation when he passed 5,000 runs and that was almost 2 years ago so he must be closer to 6,000 by now. Hasan first played for Nomads in 2000 when we were in the All London League and he was an immediate success but he went off to play proper League cricket a while after that. He returned to Nomads in 2006 and has been the mainstay of the side since then. Topping the batting averages in most of the seasons since 2006 and being the best bowler in the side for long periods. He is a great guy who is a natural leader and is liked and respected by all the Nomads and by our regular opponents. I have watched most of his innings from an umpire's vantage point but have also batted with him frequently and my proudest possession in cricket - which I have just lost - was the Nomads record 5th wicket partnership of 138 with Hasan of which I contributed about 20. He must have taken about 250 wickets for the club; mostly with his reliable medium-fast swingers but I suspect he would swap many of these wickets for a scalp with one of his outrageous leg-break slower balls.
I will put career figures and more details on here soon, as I will for all the other Nomads Legends.

Other Nomads Legends (in alphabetical order) ; -

Abbas (2013 to -----)

Abdul (2002 to -----)

Andrew West (1994 to 2015)

Ben Fewson (2007 to 2010)

Chris Kennedy (2002 to 2016)

Darwin (2008 to -----)

Emil (1994 to ----)

Gaurang (1996 to 2005)

Gopi (2009 to 2010)

Jean-Claude (2003 to 2006)

Joe (1994 to 2004)

John Chance (1994 to 2007)

John Crossland (1994 to ----)

KK (2016 to ----)

Mahesh (1996 to ----)

Mark (2008 to 2015)

Prasanth (2008 to 2017)

Rafi (2000 to 2011)

Riaz  (1999 to -----)

Sami (2013 to -----)

Shailesh (2003 to 2006)

Sumith (2003 to 2010)

Upeka (1999 to 2006)

Zia (2011 to ----)

Actually, seeing as this is our 26th season, I might as well add another one - Nick (1994 to ----). If nothing else, I think I am still 3rd in the all-time appearances list and have made a lot of trips to the supermarket in Sunday mornings.

MORE DETAIL AND STATS TO FOLLOW SOON.......