2,000 Not Out For Ivor

Brentham Cricket Club stalwart to be awarded for years of service

1964 – The Beatles pick up their first US Number One single, Nelson Mandela begins his 27-year prison sentence on Robben Island, BBC 2 goes live, and a 24-year-old Ivor Chaplin walks through the gates of Brentham CC, pencil in hand, to score his first game for the The Trees.
 
On Saturday 15 July 2017, Ivor walked through the gates again, for the game away at Winchmore Hill, this time with an array of coloured pens for strike-rate, balls faced, and overs bowled by bowlers, to score his 2,000th consecutive game for Brentham CC.

The occasion will be marked with a trophy presentation, to commemorate this incredible feat of longevity, at the innings break during our next home game, against South Hampstead on Saturday 29 July at Meadvale Road. 
 
After a three-year apprenticeship in the second-team, Ivor made his first-team scoring debut in 1967 and thus celebrates his half-century with the 1s this season as well. Since the formation of the Middlesex County Cricket League in 1972, Ivor has scored all 758 1st team league matches to date.
 
In 2014, he completed 700 consecutive League matches at which point the Score Box was named after him at a ceremony attended by former Brentham member and Ashes winning captain Michael Brearley. Brearley compared Ivor’s scoring feat with the leading wicket takers in International Cricket. Only Muttiah Muralitharan’s tally of 807 now stands ahead in front of Ivor but the gap is closing fast with Ivor set to reach 765 by the end of the season, just 42 shy of Murali’s record.
 
Ivor's astonishing achievements over the years has been recognised by one award after another. He is an Honorary Vice President of both the Middlesex County Cricket League and Brentham Club. In 2014 he was awarded the Middlesex Outstanding Service Cricket Award as well as the UK Outstanding Sports Official prize. He was nominated in 2005 and 2014 for a cricketing OSCA, presented at Lord’s, finishing runner up on the latter occasion. Perhaps the most prized opportunity was being invited to score at Lord’s for a MCC v CCC match in 2015 to add to his appearance at Lord’s with Brentham in 1972.
As well as scoring every first-team league game since 1967, Ivor has also not missed a Sunday League, Cup, or friendly game over the past 50 years.
 
Club President David Bloomfield said: “Ivor’s achievement is an unbelievable one and something that is unlikely ever to be equalled. Club Cricket is full of people who volunteer their time but Ivor's acheivements must surely sit on their own. The Cricket Club has already recognised his unparalleled service to the Club by appointing him as a Life Vice President.

19th July 2017